- Title: Iraqi protesters set fire to U.S. embassy gate
- Date: 1st January 2020
- Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JANUARY 1, 2020) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS IN FRONT OF U.S. EMBASSY VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING AND CHEERING / WAVING FLAGS THICK SMOKE BILLOWING BEHIND IRAQI FLAG AND BANNER OF HEZBOLLAH PARTY PROTESTERS IN FRONT OF EMBASSY, THICK GREY SMOKE BILLOWING FROM EMBASSY COMPOUND VARIOUS OF MEMBER OF IRAQI SECURITY FORCES STANDING GUARD AS EMBASSY GATE BURNS BEHIND SMOKE BILLOWING FROM EMBASSY COMPOUND DAMAGED WALLS OF EMBASSY VARIOUS OF U.S. EMBASSY SECURITY PERSONNEL WATCHING PROTESTERS FROM ROOF FIRE BURNING NEAR EMBASSY GATE DIRECTOR OF THE DOCTRINAL GUIDANCE AT POPULAR MOBILIZATION FORCES (PMF) AND OFFICIALS WALKING TOWARDS EMBASSY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DIRECTOR OF THE DOCTRINAL GUIDANCE AT POPULAR MOBILIZATION FORCES (PMF), MOHAMMED AL-HAYDARI, SAYING: ''The American troops in Iraq are supposed to either train Iraqi forces or to combat terrorism but the killing of members of the Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces ''PMF''), this is something unacceptable. So, for this reason, we are coming here, until the U.S. troops leave Iraq.'' PROTESTERS CLIMBING AND STANDING ON BURNT OUT RECEPTION AREA OF EMBASSY COMPOUND, THICK GREY SMOKE BILLOWING FROM COMPOUND VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS IN FRONT OF EMBASSY PROTESTERS MARCHING IN STREET CARRYING FLAGS AND CHANTING MILITARY VEHICLE DRIVING PAST EMBASSY
- Embargoed: 15th January 2020 10:36
- Keywords: Baghdad Iraq U.S. air strikes on Iraq damage protests outside U.S. embassy sit-in outside embassy troops
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- City: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001BUCC9QF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hundreds of Iraqi militiamen and their supporters set fires and hurled stones at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad for a second day on Wednesday (January 1) whilst security forces fired tear gas and stun grenades to drive them away.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who faces re-election in 2020, on Tuesday threatened to retaliate against Iran but said later he did not want to go to war. The protests also cast uncertainty over the continued presence of U.S. troops in Iraq.
The protests followed U.S. air strikes on Sunday (December 29) on bases operated by the Iranian-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah inside Iraq which killed at least 25 fighters and wounded 55.
The strikes were retaliation for the killing of a U.S. civilian contractor in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base.
More U.S. troops were being sent to the embassy, U.S. officials said. The 750 troops would initially be based out of Kuwait. The officials said that as many as 4,000 troops could be sent to the region in the coming days if needed.
(Production: Maher Nazeh, Mohammed Katfan, Tanya Lezaic) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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