Iraqi protesters and militias leave U.S. embassy in Baghdad, claiming victory

Protesters claim victory after storming U.S. Embassy in Baghdad
(Image credit: Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty Images)

Iraqi militias and their supporters had completely withdrawn from the massive U.S. embassy complex in Baghdad by Wednesday evening after Iraq's government asked them to leave and an umbrella group of state-allied militias called for the withdrawal. Helicopters of U.S. Marines arrived overnight to help guard the main area of the embassy complex. U.S. forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the rock-throwing protesters, who had breached an outer gate Tuesday and set fire to a reception area, among other damage.

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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo canceled a trip to monitor the situation from Washington. President Trump, who blamed Iran for the attack, ordered about 750 soldiers to the Middle East, and more than 4,000 additional troops could join them in coming days. Some 5,200 U.S. troops are already in Iraq, and the Iran-backed protesters said one of their goals in storming the embassy was to push for the removal of the U.S. forces. Since May, Trump has sent more than 14,000 troops to the Persian Gulf area to counter Iran.

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Before Sunday's U.S. airstrikes, condemned by Iraq's government, Baghdad had been buffeted by months of separate deadly street protests against Iran's political influence in Iraq. "Iran has been trying to provoke the U.S. into helping it solve its Iraq problem," said the Crisis Group think tank. "The Trump administration, by responding to the attacks in Kirkuk and elsewhere with airstrikes, has obliged."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.