In the early hours of morning on July 20, hundreds of protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in central Baghdad, setting it on fire in protest against the expected burning of a Koran in Sweden, reports Reuters. The demonstration was called by supporters of influential Shi'ite cleric Muqtada Sadr, who wields significant influence in Iraq and has mobilised large crowds in the past for various causes.
The Swedish foreign ministry confirmed that all embassy staff were safe following the attack, and they condemned the incident while emphasising the need for Iraqi authorities to protect diplomatic missions. The demonstration was in response to the second planned Koran burning in Sweden in weeks. Swedish police had granted an application for a public meeting outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm on the same day, where two individuals were expected to participate in burning the Koran and the Iraqi flag.
Videos posted on the Telegram group, One Baghdad, showed protesters gathering around the Swedish embassy, chanting pro-Sadr slogans, and storming the complex. Smoke was later seen rising from a building in the embassy, and protesters were observed on its roof. After the incident, the Iraqi foreign ministry issued a statement condemning the attack and called for a swift investigation to identify and hold the perpetrators accountable.
Last month, Sadr called for protests against Sweden and the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador following the previous Koran burning in Stockholm. The incident had already prompted major protests outside of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, during which protesters breached the embassy groundsv on one occasion.
Several Muslim countries, including Iraq, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Morocco, expressed their protests about the initial Koran burning incident in Sweden. Iraq sought the extradition of the Iraqi man involved in the burning to face trial in the country. The United States also condemned the incident but acknowledged Sweden's decision to issue the permit for the public meeting, citing freedom of expression laws.
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