In response to the expected burning of a Quran in Sweden, hundreds of Muslim protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad.
The protesters scaled the embassy walls and set the building on fire.
The Swedish foreign ministry condemned the attack and called on Iraqi authorities to protect diplomatic missions.
The demonstration was organized by supporters of Shi’ite cleric Muqtada Sadr, who were protesting the second planned Quran burning in Sweden.
The Iraqi government has condemned the incident and instructed security forces to investigate and hold the perpetrators accountable.
By dawn, security forces had deployed inside the embassy and firefighters were extinguishing the remaining embers.
The Swedish embassy had previously faced protests after a Quran burning incident in Stockholm.
Several Muslim countries, including Iraq, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, expressed their protests about the incident.
The United States condemned the act but acknowledged Sweden’s support for freedom of expression.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
