A new bout of protests have enveloped Baghdad’s highly secure Green Zone, with reports of rockets landing near the US embassy, resulting in the evacuation of officials.
According to AFP, protestors have gathered around the Green Zone, prompting an exchange of gunfire and even the deployment of riot control measures including water cannons. There were also reports of a rocket landing near the US embassy on Sunday, and although the attack didn’t cause any casualties, a helicopter was witnessed allegedly evacuating government officials on Monday.
Unconfirmed reports also circulated on social media showing Iraq’s Republican Palace also being breached and stormed by rioters. The latest bout of protests comes after Washington deployed warships and bombers to the Persian Gulf, cited an alleged, but unconfirmed threat from Iran. The US military determined the rocket was launched from east Baghdad, which is predominantly occupied by Iran-backed Shiite militias.
With tensions between the US and Iran on the rise, concerns are mounting that Baghdad would be in the middle of unrest once again. The region is currently host to over 5,000 US soldiers to counter threats from Iranian-backed militias. ExxonMobil also allegedly evacuated an oil field in the Iraqi province of Basra due to “political tensions in the region.”
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