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| US embassy in Iraq attacked by protesters angry at air strikes on militia | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Protesters angered by recent deadly US air strikes targeting an Iran-backed Iraqi militia have attacked the US embassy compound in Baghdad. | |
| US troops fired tear gas to disperse a crowd that breached the outer wall of the compound, which is in the capital's heavily fortified Green Zone. | |
| One of the guard towers was also apparently set alight. | One of the guard towers was also apparently set alight. |
| At least 25 fighters died when the US bombed bases associated with Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq and Syria on Sunday. | At least 25 fighters died when the US bombed bases associated with Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq and Syria on Sunday. |
| The US blamed the militia for a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base in Kirkuk on Friday that killed an American civilian contractor. | |
| Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said the air strikes had violated his country's sovereignty and would force it to review its relations with the US. | Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said the air strikes had violated his country's sovereignty and would force it to review its relations with the US. |
| Kataib Hezbollah's commander, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, warned that the militia's response "would be very tough on the American forces in Iraq". | Kataib Hezbollah's commander, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, warned that the militia's response "would be very tough on the American forces in Iraq". |
| Iran described the attacks as a "clear example of terrorism". | Iran described the attacks as a "clear example of terrorism". |
| Tuesday's protest took place after funerals were held in the capital for militia fighters who were killed in the US strikes. | |
| Thousands of mourners - including several senior Iran-backed paramilitary and militia leaders - marched towards the Green Zone, where many Iraqi government offices and foreign embassies are located. | |
| They were allowed by Iraqi security forces to enter the zone and gather on a street outside the US embassy compound. | |
| Waving Kataib Hezbollah and other militia flags, and chanting anti-American slogans, the protesters threw stones at the compound's main gate, pulled down security cameras, attacked empty guard posts, and started several fires. | |
| The situation then escalated when the compound's wall was breached. | |
| The Associated Press reported that a gate at a side-entrance to the compound was smashed open and that hundreds of people pushed about 5m (16ft) into a corridor leading to the main embassy building before being forced to retreat by tear gas fired by US troops. | |
| It was not clear whether there were any staff inside the embassy at the time. There was an unconfirmed report that the ambassador had been evacuated. |