Iraq: Shiite supporters launch fresh attack on U.S embassy

Iraqi Shiite militiamen and their supporters have broken into the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad.

These attackers, who were expressing their outrage today, following the deadly airstrikes targeting an Iran-backed militia, smashed the main door and set fire to the reception area in the embassy.

In an attempt to resist the attack, American guards fired tear gas, and palls of smoke rose over the embassy grounds.

While there were no reports of casualties, the State Department said “All American personnel were safe and that there were no plans to evacuate the embassy.”

“The government are planning to send more troops to protect the compound,” it assured.

The breach followed U.S. airstrikes on Sunday that killed 25 fighters of the Iran-backed militia in Iraq, the Kataeb Hezbollah.

The U.S. military said the strikes were in retaliation for last week’s killing of an American contractor in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base that the U.S. blamed on the militia.

President Donald Trump blamed Iran for the embassy breach and called on Iraq to protect the diplomatic mission.

“Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will. 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!” he tweeted from his estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

“Trump, who is spending the holiday week at his Florida home, is in “close touch” and receiving regular updates from his national security team,” said White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.

Iraqi security forces made no effort to stop the protesters as they marched to the heavily fortified Green Zone after a funeral for those killed in the airstrikes.

The demonstrators were allowed to pass through a security checkpoint leading to the area. The marchers, many of them in militia uniforms, shouted “Down, down USA!” and “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” outside the compound, hurling water and stones over its walls.

The mob set fire to three trailers used by security guards along the wall. AP journalists saw some try to scale the walls. Others then smashed the gates used by cars to enter, and dozens pushed into the compound.

The State Department reported that the U.S. ambassador, who was traveling outside Iraq at the time of the attack, had returned.