Iraqi protesters march on US embassy, torch guardhouse to protest airstrikes

CT757fan/iStock(BAGHDAD) — Hundreds of angry mourners have advanced on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad to protest the deadly U.S. airstrikes this week.

Photos from the scene show a compound sentry box had been set on fire by protesters, and footage shows the crowd waving yellow militia flags and chanting, with several cars parked outside in the street.

The attack on the embassy follows American airstrikes on an Iranian-backed militia operating in Iraq over the weekend. Strikes were conducted against five facilities in Iraq and Syria affiliated with Kata’ib Hizbollah (KH), which the Pentagon described as a group linked to Iran’s Quds Force responsible for recent attacks in Iraq, including a rocket attack which killed a U.S. civilian contractor at the K1 Iraqi military base near Kirkuk Friday.

In the aftermath of those strikes, a top Iraqi militia chief warned of a strong response against the U.S.

A State Department official downplayed the threat of retaliation from Iran or Iran-backed proxies Monday.

Copyright © 2019, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn
Share on email
Email
Share on print
Print