US troops fire tear gas at protesters outside US embassy in Baghdad – reports
by RT
US troops fire tear gas at protesters outside US embassy in Baghdad – reports
Tear gas has been used to disperse angry crowds outside the US embassy in Baghdad, a day after thousands of protesters attempted to storm the diplomatic compound, AFP reported.
Dozens of protesters who camped overnight outside the gates of the embassy were attacked with tear gas by security personnel, reportedly after the demonstrators drew closer to the building.
The crowd also reportedly set several US flags on fire. Several protesters were wounded and driven away in ambulances, according to AFP. The skirmish comes a day after thousands of Iraqis marched on the compound in protest against US airstrikes that targeted several Hezbollah positions.
The demonstrators were able to pass through several checkpoints in the high-security Green Zone, setting fires and destroying surveillance cameras.
In response to the attack, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said around 750 troops were ready to deploy to the region over the next several days.
President Donald Trump has blamed Iran for the turmoil, and warned that Tehran would pay dearly if any US personnel were injured or killed by the demonstrators. Iran pushed back at the accusation, noting that Washington had the “audacity” to blame the Islamic Republic for the Iraqi protests.
US airstrikes hit five Kataib Hezbollah targets in Iraq and Syria last week in retaliation for an attack on a US coalition base near Kirkuk. Washington blamed the the Kirkuk incident on the Iran-allied militia, but Tehran has denied any involvement, calling the subsequent strikes an act of “terrorism”.
