:strip_icc()/i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_59edd422c0c84a879bd37670ae4f538a/internal_photos/bs/2023/I/7/LF8TB6RqiUTtboHMBqyA/fscjdsl.png "The Swedish embassy in Baghdad was stormed and burned | world")
Hundreds of people stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, the Iraqi capital, in the early hours of Thursday morning (20) local time. According to an informed source and a Reuters witness, protesters set fire to the site.
Sweden’s Ministry of Ex-Affairs said all embassy staff were safe.
He called for the demonstration, supporters of the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, after the European country allowed on Wednesday (19) to burn the holy Islamic Quran in a demonstration in Sweden.
A series of videos posted by One Baghdad, the popular pro-Sadr Telegram channel, showed people gathering around the embassy at around 7pm on Wednesday and storming the embassy compound about an hour later. Subsequent videos showed smoke billowing from a building in the embassy compound.
Iraqi police and state media did not immediately identify the attack. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the attack.
The ministry said, “The Iraqi government directed the competent security authorities to conduct an urgent investigation and take the necessary security measures to uncover the circumstances of the incident, identify the perpetrators of this act, and hold them accountable according to the law.”
Late last month, al-Sadr called for protests against Sweden and expelled the Swedish ambassador after a Koran was burned in Stockholm by an Iraqi.
Swedish police charged the man with incitement against a racial or national group. In a newspaper interview, he described himself as an Iraqi refugee seeking to prevent the Quran, the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider a revelation from God.
Two large demonstrations took place outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after the burning of the Quran, with demonstrators storming the embassy grounds on one occasion.
The governments of several Islamic countries, including Iraq, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Morocco, protested the incident, and Iraq demanded that the man be extradited for trial in the country.
The United States also condemned, but added that Sweden’s issuance of the license supported freedom of expression and did not support the action.
Oliver Ashford is a contributor to Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment and lifestyle. He focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting that helps readers stay informed about current affairs and developments that matter. With an emphasis on accuracy, relevance and accessibility, Oliver aims to present useful information and engaging stories in a straightforward manner, making complex topics easier for readers to understand and follow.