Protesters storm Swedish Embassy in Baghdad ahead of planned Quran burning in Stockholm

Published July 20, 2023 6:02 AM

By ALI JABAR and ABBY SEWELL
Associated Press

BAGHDAD (AP) — Protesters angered by the planned burning of a copy of the Quran have stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad, breaking into the compound and lighting a small fire. Online videos showed demonstrators at the diplomatic post waving flags and signs showing the influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr ahead of a planned burning of the holy book Thursday in Stockholm. The Swedish Foreign Ministry said its embassy staff were safe without elaborating. Iraq’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack. A Swedish news report says two demonstrators planned to burn a Quran and the Iraq flag outside the Iraqi Embassy later Thursday.

Article Topic Follows: AP National News

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