BAGHDAD - Protesters and militia fighters
enraged by U.S. air strikes on Iraq staged a violent
demonstration outside the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday,
torching a security post and hurling stones as security forces
and embassy guards hit back with stun grenades and tear gas.
Iraqi officials said the ambassador and other staff had been
evacuated, but this could not be confirmed with American
officials.
In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump accused Iran of
orchestrating the violence and said Tehran would be held
responsible.
The protesters and militiamen stormed and burned a security
post at the entrance of the U.S. Embassy but did not breach the
main compound, Reuters witnesses said.
They threw stones at the gate while others chanted, "No, no,
America! No, no, Trump!"
Iraqi special forces were deployed around the main gate to
prevent them entering the embassy. U.S.-trained and -equipped
Iraqi Counter Terrorism forces later reinforced them.
Medical sources said 12 militiamen were wounded by the tear
gas and stun grenades fired to disperse the crowd.
U.S. planes on Sunday had attacked bases belonging to an
Iranian-backed militia - an action 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.
The attack on the Kataib Hezbollah militia was in response
to the killing of a U.S. civilian contractor in a rocket attack
on an Iraqi military base.
"Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We
strongly responded, and always will," Trump said in a tweet.
"Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in
Iraq. They will be held fully responsible. In addition, we
expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so
notified."
Two Iraqi foreign ministry officials said the U.S.
ambassador and other staff had left, but they did not say when.
The Washington Post reported that inside the embassy, U.S.
diplomats and staffers were huddled in a fortified safe room,
according to two reached by a messaging app.
A few hours into the protest, tear gas was fired in an
attempt to disperse the crowd and some of the militias
encouraged protesters through loudspeakers to leave.
"We have delivered our message, please leave the area to
avoid bloodshed," one announcement said.
Security guards inside the embassy also fired stun grenades
at protesters outside the gates of the compound. Reuters
correspondents heard at least seven loud bangs.
A Reuters witness saw blood on the face of one wounded
militiamen and on the stomach of the other as their colleagues
carried them away from the scene.
'CLOSED IN THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE'
Iraqis have been taking to the streets in their thousands
almost daily to condemn, among other things, militias such as
Kataib Hezbollah and their Iranian patrons that support Iraqi
Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi's government.
But on Tuesday, it was the militias who protested, spraying
"Closed in the name of the people" on the gates of the U.S.
Embassy and smashed the surveillance cameras around the building
with bricks and stones.
Qais al-Khazali, leader of the Iranian-backed Asaib Ahl
al-Haq militia, and many other senior leaders were among the
protesters.
"Americans are unwanted in Iraq. They are a source of evil
and we want them to leave," Khazali told Reuters.
Khazali is one of the most feared and respected Shi'ite
militia leaders in Iraq, and one of Iran's most important
allies.
Kataib Hezbollah is one of the smallest but most potent of
the Iranian-backed militias. Its flags were hung on the fence
surrounding the embassy.
Militia commander Jamal Jaafar Ibrahimi, also known as Abu
Mahdi al-Mohandes, and Badr Organisation leader Hadi al-Amiri
were also at the protest.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke to Prime Minister
Adil Abdul-Mahdi and President Barham Salih by telephone from
Washington and he said they had guaranteed the safety of U.S.
personnel and property.
"The Secretary made clear the United States will protect and
defend its people, who are there to support a sovereign and
independent Iraq," a State Department spokeswoman said.
More than 5,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Iraq supporting
local forces, though Iraq has rejected any long-term presence of
additional U.S. forces that crossed its border during an
American withdrawal from northern Syria.
Sunday's air strikes killed at least 25 fighters and wounded
55.