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Arson attack at Swedish embassy in Baghdad, Iraq
The incident claimed no harm to any embassy staff members.
Baghdad: Baghdad Arson attack on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, over the news of the desecration of the Holy Quran has sparked outrage.
In the early morning, hundreds of protesters stormed the Swedish embassy compound, setting it on fire in response to reports of the desecration of the Holy Quran.
Social media has been abuzz with viral videos showing demonstrators waving flags and carrying cards featuring the image of the Iraqi Shia religion.
The images and flags contained images of political leader Muqtada al-Sadr during the Thursday morning protest near the Swedish embassy in Baghdad.
According to international media, Iraq's Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the attack on the embassy and called for an immediate investigation to identify the culprits responsible for the incident.
Eyewitnesses reported that several firefighting trucks arrived at the scene, where clashes occurred between Iraqi security forces and protesters.
In the aftermath of the arson incident, the Swedish Foreign Ministry reassured that all embassy personnel are safe and called on the Iraqi authorities to ensure the safety and protection of diplomatic missions and their staff.
Prior to this incident, a source informed that no embassy staff members were harmed, although further details were not disclosed.
One protester, Hassan Ahmed, shared, "We are taking action today against the burning of the Holy Quran. This is a matter of love and faith."
He urged the Swedish and Iraqi governments to prevent such actions in the future.