Posted on 12/31/2019 6:25:54 AM PST by Kaslin
The U.S. Embassy in Iraq is being attacked by Iraqi Shiite militia supporters, who’ve broken into the compound.
According to the Associated Press, a fire has been set and sounds of gunfire were heard.
An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw flames rising from inside the compound and at least three U.S. soldiers on the roof of the main building inside embassy. It was not clear what caused the fire at the reception area near the parking lot of the compound. A man on a loudspeaker urged the mob not to enter the compound, saying: “The message was delivered.”
Smoke from the tear gas rose in the area, and at least three of the protesters appeared to have difficulties breathing.
The gate that was smashed was a side-entrance, one used by cars to enter the embassy compound. Hundreds of protesters had pushed about 5 meters (16 feet) into a corridor that leads to the main building but the protesters were still about 200 meters (yards) away from it. (AP)
The crowd had been chanting “Down, down USA”, “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” as they tried scaling the embassy’s walls.
BREAKING - Hundreds of Kataib Hezbollah supporters are swarming the US embassy in Baghdad. No attempt to stop them by Iraqi forced guarding the Green Zone. No way out for diplomats. V. dangerous situation pic.twitter.com/sUgTI8iXHb— Liz Sly (@LizSly) December 31, 2019
Kata'ib Hezbollah is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and the attack should be treated as a terrorist attack and not a bunch of "protesters" getting out of controlhttps://t.co/do8GT83AKX https://t.co/ypsbg3zmoB— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) December 31, 2019
IRAQ: Scene outside the US embassy in Baghdad as more protesters arrive in the wake of US retaliation airstrikes against Katai'b Hezbollah positions. - @KARRARISMAILM pic.twitter.com/kKmIevmQ89— Conflict News (@Conflicts) December 31, 2019
JUSTin : Electrical and communication cabins supplied to the US embassy building torched while embassy staff are still inside. !! https://t.co/KaBaGUi8iw— ??? ?????? ???? Hassan Sajwani (@HSajwanization) December 31, 2019
The attack comes after the U.S. carried out airstrikes against five sites of Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia, in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for the killing of a U.S. contractor and injuries to four U.S. troops and two members of the Iraqi Security Forces.
Iraq condemned the airstrikes, calling them a “violation of Iraq's sovereignty” and the terrorists vowed to retaliate, with KH’s military commander reportedly saying their forces were “ready to destroy the bases of the American occupiers and crush their rotten heads.”
Embassy staff and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq were evacuated but some security staff remained, Reuters reports. Some video from the scene shows at least six U.S. soldiers inside.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) weighed in on the attack early Tuesday morning, saying Iran "must be held accountable" and asked for prayers for the soldiers still inside the embassy.
#Iran is directly responsible for orchestrating the storming of the US Embassy in #Iraq & must be held accountable for it & the safety of every American serving there.— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) December 31, 2019
Pray for these brave young Americans who remain at their post at the Embassy in Baghdad while an Iranian directed mob attacks the embassy.
The U.S. should employ whatever it takes to secure their safety & the safety of all Americans inside the compound. https://t.co/0H3Epo5g7c— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) December 31, 2019
Update:
LATEST on #Iraq
• Protesters leave the interior of the US Embassy in Baghdad but continue to stone the building
• Iraq special forces use tear gas to disperse crowds
• Iran-linked militia leaders in the vicinity along with Iraqi interior and defense ministers
• NO DEATHS pic.twitter.com/asD9YdP7PB— Ragip Soylu (@ragipsoylu) December 31, 2019
Updates from outside US embassy in #Iraq:
-Security forces deploy on roof of embassy & fire tear gas, flash bangs to keep protesters away
-Demonstrators hoist PMF, Iraqi, Kataeb Hezbollah flags at embassy
-NSA Faleh Fayyadh, Qais al-Khazaali, Hadi al-Ameri all outside embassy— Maya Gebeily (@GebeilyM) December 31, 2019
Update: President Trump responded and said Iran "will be held fully responsible."
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!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2019
Several Iranian ships are about to disappear beneath the waves without a trace.
Send Jack Wilson from Ft Worth to protect the embassy and I will go along to load his clips.
Your judgement of what the media wants is 180 degrees from the truth.
Given your screen name I’m not surprised.
The thing that was covered up in Benghazi by the Obama admin was that Iran was behind that attack.
The reason the Dems wanted to “f_ Flynn, then Trump” was what Flynn knew of documents obtained in the bin Laden raid regarding Iran.
The reason they are going nuts against both Trump and Netanyahu is Iran.
Wow! Great answer.
I think you are onto something, there.
The “Middle East” is the “Middle East” - it’s not rocket science.
Common Sense 101...for the ultimate win.
Sad to see how education has failed so many.
Ciao...
They’ve conserved war and not much else.
Culture war raging at home, we are maybe losing, can’t even get half of voters to vote for limited govt, but hey...AT LEAST WE ARE ATTACKING COUNTRIES HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD.
The neocons HATE Trump, hate the Constitution, love war. I say airdrop the neocons over Mecca and let them fight
Air strike in their oil refinery and its game over for Iran no need for ground troops. No gas, no economy. If the mullah’s are busy trying to put down a rebellion it’s a little hard to export it.
The USA won’t benefit from an open war, but more from surgical strikes at the actual perpetrators here. The Iranian people have been subjected to horrific persecution at the hands of their government and we do not want to add to their miseries, but rather enable them to destroy the true enemy, the mullahs. Burn them down so hard they have to look up to see hell.
Yeah it sure is hard to breath after a Marine puts a 7.62 round through your chest.
AND if that is not happening, why the eff not. That is supposed to be American soverign soil.
Protect it like any city of America.
Kill the bastards with one bullet at a time. If there are 1000 of them you need 1000 bullets.
EMP’s are not as effective as you may believe
Just had a cup of my Persian tea. God bless the freedom loving people of Iran.
And GB who should have finished the first D. Storm job
My view of the photos. Iraqi soldiers outside the vehicle barriers chit chatting the “demonstrators.” Supposed to be responsible for external security. Soldiers OUTSIDE vehicle barriers. Demonstrators inside near main wall.
Upper left a lot of people in black inside the vehicle barriers, outside the main wall.
Fire in booth inside the vehicle barrier outside the wall probably was manned by Iraqis since they are responsible for external security.
Wind blowing smoke past the embassies over some of the demonstrators.
Two wimps; 0bama and Bush.
Well, where is it the middle of?
Just because you haven’t been educated doesn’t mean the rest of people can learn.
I cannot believe you actually posted a reply with that answer. What a maroon.
ok by me
“That’s what they’re thinking in their desperation, that it’s a “win or win”.”
That’s what they thought about impeaching him.
You don’t think if it’s a setup, he’s figured it out and will come out on top, while pretending to play along?
They are not "protesters", any more than the Iranian militia that invaded our embassy in 1979 and took our citizens hostage were "students."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.