The US embassy in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone came under attack from rocket fire on Sunday evening.

Five rockets crashed into a riverbank near the embassy in the Iraqi capital leaving one person injured. AFP news agency citing a security source said three of the rockets "directly hit the US embassy". One slammed into a cafeteria at dinner time, it added.

It was the third such attack on the US embassy this month but was the first time the complex had been directly hit. It was not immediately clear who was responsible.

Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi swiftly condemned the attack in a statement, calling it an "aggression" that could "drag Iraq into becoming a war zone".

Iraqi security forces shot at anti-government protesters in Baghdad on Sunday, killing at least one person, and unidentified men set fire to sit-in tents in a southern Iraqi city, police and medics said, as months-long civil unrest escalated.

Anti-government protests erupted in Baghdad on Oct. 1 and quickly turned violent. Security forces and unidentified gunmen have shot protesters dead. Nearly 500 people have been killed in the unrest. Aleast 12 demonstrators have been killed since Saturday, the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights said, with three in Nasiriya, and nine in Baghdad province.

The protests are an unprecedented leaderless challenge to Iraq’s Shi’ite Muslim-dominated and largely Iran-backed ruling elite, which emerged after a U.S.-led invasion toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Demonstrators are demanding that all parties and politicians be removed, free and fair elections be held and corruption rooted out. The government has responded with violence and piecemeal reform. The international community has condemned the violence but not intervened to stop it.

In Baghdad, one protester was killed, police sources and medics said, and more than 100 others hurt across the country after the security forces tried to clear protest camps.

At least 75 of those hurt were in the southern city of Nassariya. A Reuters witness said protesters set fire to two security vehicles and hundreds of other demonstrators controlled key bridges in the city. Later, unidentified men set fire to tents that are part of a months-long sit-in in the city centre.

Protests have flared in the last two days after populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, many of whose supporters had participated, said he would no longer be involved in anti-government demonstrations.

Sadr opposes all foreign interference in Iraq but has aligned himself more closely in recent months with Iran and the Tehran-backed parties that dominate state institutions in Baghdad.

Some demonstrators have accused the populist cleric of treachery of their cause.

Sadr has organised separate anti-American demonstrations aimed at pressuring U.S. troops to leave Iraq, moves that critics say aim to eclipse the anti-establishment movement which has taken aim at all politicians including Sadr.

The increase in unrest comes after Washington killed Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, the mastermind of Iran’s control over Iraq, and an Iraqi paramilitary chief in a drone strike in Baghdad on Jan. 3.

Iran responded with ballistic missile attacks on two Iraqi military bases, but the killing has revived tensions in Iraqi politics and delayed the formation of a new government.

Five Katyusha rockets hit Baghdad’s Green Zone, which houses government buildings and foreign embassies, late on Sunday, a military statement said. It did not report casualties.

‘INTERNAL STRIFE’
Security sources told Reuters that at least one rocket landed inside the U.S. embassy compound and wounded three people. If confirmed, it would be the first time in years that such attacks on the Green Zone, which are regular, have actually hurt staff there.

Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi condemned the attack in a statement from his office, and said that the continuation of such acts could “drag Iraq into becoming a battlefield.”

Sadr had called for demonstrations against the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and other cities on Sunday but cancelled them, with his office giving “avoiding internal strife” as the reason.

Sadr’s supporters had bolstered anti-government protests before the assassination of Soleimani but have since been directed by their leader to focus their anger against America. They began withdrawing from anti-government sit-in camps on Saturday.

“We protest because we have a cause. I don’t think Moqtada Sadr or any other politician will change our mind,” said a protester in Baghdad who declined to give his name.

“I don’t go to protests often but I came out today because of what they did yesterday. I want to express my solidarity with my brothers in Tahrir,” said Hussain Ali, a student, referring to demonstrations in Tahrir Square, the main area of protests in the capital.

In Baghdad, protesters were coughing and washing their faces and eyes to rid themselves of the effects of tear gas while medical workers provided first aid, as the site was inaccessible to ambulances, a Reuters reporter said.

Tuk tuks evacuated wounded protesters in clouds of tear gas and black smoke from burning tyres.

Earlier on Sunday, hundreds of university students had gathered in Tahrir Square, the main protest camp, chanting slogans against the United States and Iran.

Protests also continued in the cities of Kerbala, Najaf and Diwaniya, defying attempts by security forces to end their months-long sit-in, police sources and Reuters witnesses said.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-protests/iraqi-security-forces-kill-protester-rockets-hit-u-s-embassy-idUSKBN1ZP0B8

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When Saddam Hussein said millions of Saddam are coming after, they thought he was making noise.

This is the beginning of the end of the world.

No war

Lordy certainly not again, after weeks of tranquility this happening again? Anti government protesters shot.

You leave your country to build a military base in another mans country...

Iran is hell bent on American troops leaving Iraq..

More pics

Dooms day is approaching.

Wetin,yellow buses they do for Iraq.
On a serious note,America should get the f..ck out of that country,china or Russia to should build Military base in cuba or Canada .
Iranu,people said you should leave,their Parliament said same and you are forming "strong head".

For every wrong thing happening in Iraq, Libya and some other Eastern countries, the blame goes to United states.
Their intolerance towards other people's religion, culture and policies (domestic and foreign) has plunged many countries into an abyss of constant unrest.

-Since America will not allow a foreign military base on their soil, then they have to withdraw their air base from Libya. This is Africa.

-America should withdraw their military personnel from other countries. All countries are sovereign countries and have their own security forces

Goodluck Jonathan's act of sending the Royal Army packing back to their country during the Boko Haram crisis was an intelligent decision

-If America must stop any country from carrying out some practices e.g development of nuclear weapons,
then all other 12 countries including America must destroy their own weapons of mass destruction

-America must stop this act of imperialism and dictating for other nations what to do and what not to do

-what we want in this world is Equity and "a level" of equality not bullying


And back to the topic, The people of Iraq, which is a country of its own, said, they do not want American forces on their soil anymore, America should heed to their call and head back home.
Let Iraq decide their leadership. They deserve it after deposing their leader and turning Iraq to a war zone for decades just because of the deed of Osama bin Laden
For how long will Iraqis suffer the sins of a terror group that America created themselves?

[s]

Officialgarri:
For every wrong thing happening in Iraq, Libya and some other Eastern countries, the blame goes to United states.
Their intolerance towards other people's religion, culture and policies (domestic and foreign) has plunged many countries into a abyss of constant unrest.

[/s]

Rip to the dead

The war is gradually getting started and I am loving it.

Interesting times.. let peace reign.


Meanwhile, register your Business, Church and Company with the CAC at discounted prices. Check our signature and page for more details.

Offer lasts for a limited period only.

This mass protests actually started in October over widespread government corruption and a lack of public services and jobs.
Iraqi security forces have responded harshly to this.
Over 500 protesters have been killed since this issue started.

Peace is all we need in the world.
Let's make love, not war!

1

This is going to far

You'll rather kill ur citizens than to protect another Nation's interest.

the embassy is under rocket protector

Please allow us to finish mourning Kobe. Iraqi news can wait..

Iran doing its dirty work via its proxies.




If you know, you know.

The only thing working in the world right now is violence to take supremacy, whereas we have more pressing issues the world should come together to address.

Climate change:
To the normal guy on Africa streets, he may ask what is the meaning of climate change. If you feel thr harmattan is harsh and coming late, then you know what climate change is.

Religion: Note, im as God fearing as any of you but really, if you think God is spearing your life because you serve him, then you need to read this. I stand corrected, Religion has killed More than any diseases the world evert recorded (even till now). My summition is that God is not interested in any religion than what your heart carries.

No wonder Africa is like this, nothing meaningful than we been the dumping site of every Western bullcrapp. Religion is one of the bull crapps. Now imagine Africa was able to harness it's own potentials without religious impediments?

Elon Musk could have been regarded as another messiah if he came around during those stone ages, Galileo, Einstein or even Stephen Hawkins. They've changed the perspectives of viewing the world. See what religion has done to us.

Over billion stars around our galaxy alone, rounding it whitish colour around many other earth like planets, but we still carry our bible and Quran about (thinking God will kill us for knowing the truth, most of these geniuses have even been named Anti-christ.

...and here we are, by 2030 or so, the Giant asteroid lands on Earth. Where do you think you are going?

Elon musk already know he'd be on Mars by then and you and i may perish here on Earth. Is the scripture about paradise not fulfilled?

Abiodun Itunu is a Social Scientist and a Building contractor who loves to acquire knowledge.

To the guy below, Walahi mi o FO

Mafo