Iraqi protests

At least three rockets targeted the US embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone at dawn on Friday, landing on the outskirts of the district housing government and diplomatic buildings, an Iraqi security official said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Hundreds of protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in central Baghdad in the early hours of Thursday and set it on fire to protest an expected Quran burning in Sweden, Reuters reported.

All embassy staff in Baghdad are safe, the Swedish Foreign Ministry press office said in a statement, condemning the attack and stressing the need for Iraqi authorities to protect diplomatic missions.

Protesters angered by the planned burning of a copy of the Quran stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad early Thursday, breaking into the compound and lighting a small fire.

Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survived an assassination attempt with armed drones that targeted his residence early on Nov. 7 and officials said he was unharmed. The attack was a major escalation amid tensions sparked by the refusal of Iran-backed militias to accept last month's parliamentary election results.

Turkey on July 20 "strongly condemned" the "treacherous" terror attack in Baghdad that left at least 30 people dead and 60 injured.

ISIL claimed responsibility early on July 20 for a suicide bombing that ripped through a busy market in the Iraqi capital ahead of Eid holiday celebrations, killing nearly 30 people, according to medical sources.

The latest attack came after several attempted assaults on the U.S. facilities in Iraq.
The American defense system C-RAM was active during the night, the Iraqi army stated, and added that the rockets did not hit the embassy, but fell near it in the so-called green zone of Baghdad, where the embassies are located.
There were no casualties in the attack.

Iraq's prime minister on June 12 inaugurated a training and research hospital built by a Turkish construction company in a city on the Euphrates River.

Ljubljana – Friday’s anti-government protesters gave the government a week to resign or face a massive “uprising” to push for an early election next Friday. The ultimatum was issued as the latest weekly cycling protest coincided with an event staged by a movement for the Slovenian Palestinian community with many of the protesters waving Palestinian flags.

Pope Francis has called for an end to violence and extremism, on the first ever papal visit to Iraq.

In a speech after being welcomed by Iraqi President Barham Salih, Pope Francis said he was very pleased to come to Iraq, which he described as the "cradle of civilisation".

The pontiff is making his first international trip since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.