- Title: Smoke rises over U.S. embassy Baghdad compound walls amid violent protests
- Date: 31st December 2019
- Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (DECEMBER 31, 2019) (ORIGINALLY SHOT IN PORTRAIT) (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS) SMOKE RISING OVER U.S. EMBASSY COMPOUND WALLS AS PROTESTERS AND MILITIA CROWD AT GATES, SMALL EXPLOSIONS IN COMPOUND AMBULANCES ON ROAD BY U.S. EMBASSY COMPOUND WALLS/ SMOKE AND PROTESTS LARGE CROWD OF PROTESTERS AND MILITIA OUTSIDE U.S. EMBASSY COMPOUND WALLS
- Embargoed: 14th January 2020 12:29
- Keywords: Baghdad Iraq Kataib Hezbollah Protests U.S. air strikes U.S. embassy anti-U.S. protests
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- City: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001BCB2Y4N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Iraqi protesters stormed and set fire to a security post at the entrance to the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad, three Reuters witnesses said on Tuesday (December 31), as eyewitness video showed black smoke coming from the compound.
The U.S. ambassador to Iraq and other staff had earlier been evacuated from the embassy, as thousands of protesters and militia fighters gathered to condemn U.S. air strikes on bases belonging to an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq.
Two Iraqi militiamen were wounded after stun grenades were thrown, apparently from inside the embassy compound, to force protesters to disperse, a Reuters witness said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said early on Tuesday that Iran was "orchestrating" an attack on the U.S. embassy in Iraq and will be held responsible for it.
On Sunday (December 29), U.S. planes had attacked bases belonging to an Iranian-backed militia, a move that risks drawing Iraq further into a proxy conflict between Washington and Tehran at a time when mass protests are challenging Iraq's political system.
(Production: George Sargent) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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