Protesters stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad in response to a planned Quran burning in Stockholm. Demonstrators broke into the embassy compound, set a small fire, and waved flags and signs of influential Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The Swedish Foreign Ministry confirmed the safety of embassy staff and condemned the attack, while the Iraqi Foreign Ministry vowed to investigate and hold the perpetrators accountable. Quran burnings have historically sparked protests, and the Taliban has suspended activities of Swedish organizations in Afghanistan in response. Al-Sadr, a prominent Shiite leader, has organized rallies against corruption and played a role in Iraqi military offensives against ISIS.
Protesters in Baghdad, Iraq, stormed the Swedish embassy in response to the burning of copies of the Quran in Sweden. The embassy was set on fire, but all staff members were reported to be safe. The Swedish foreign ministry condemned the attack and called on Iraqi authorities to protect diplomatic missions. The Iraqi government has launched an investigation into the incident and vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable. The protest was organized by supporters of influential Iraqi Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr, who called for an end to Quran burnings. This comes after a similar incident in Sweden where a copy of the Quran was burned, leading to protests and the storming of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad.
Hundreds of protesters stormed and set fire to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in protest against the expected burning of a Koran in Sweden. The demonstration was organized by supporters of Shi'ite cleric Muqtada Sadr, who had called for protests against Sweden after a previous Koran burning incident. Swedish police had granted an application for a public meeting outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, where the Koran burning was planned. The Swedish embassy officials in Baghdad were unharmed, and it remains unclear if anyone was inside the embassy at the time of the storming.
Protesters stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad in response to the planned burning of a Quran by an Iraqi man in Sweden. The embassy was overrun and a fire was started. Iraq's prime minister subsequently cut diplomatic ties with Sweden over the desecration of the Islamic holy book. The Swedish Embassy closed temporarily, and the Iraqi government announced the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador from Iraq. The incident comes after an anti-Islam protest in Stockholm where a man stepped on and kicked the Quran but did not set it on fire. The burning of the Quran has sparked protests and condemnation in the Muslim world.
Hundreds of followers of Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad to protest the burning of a Quran in Sweden. The embassy was evacuated by security forces after the protesters breached the building, and some of them burned LGBTQ+ pride flags. The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the Swedish ambassador and called for the man who burned the Quran to be extradited and prosecuted in Iraq. Turkish President Erdogan suggested that the incident could hinder Sweden's bid for NATO membership.
Protesters breached the Swedish embassy in Baghdad following a Quran burning incident in Sweden. The protests were ordered by influential Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who also called for the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador. Demonstrators climbed over barricades and entered the embassy compound for about 15 minutes before withdrawing. Sweden confirmed the safety of its staff, while Muslim countries and organizations condemned the Quran burning. This is not the first time the Swedish embassy in Baghdad has faced protests over a Quran burning incident.
