“Death to America“: Several thousand Iraqis protest outside US embassy over strikes

Several thousand of Iraqi protesters matched in Baghdad and in front of US embassy, burn flags outside gates according to an AFP report

The angry protesters attacked the US embassy in the Iraqi capital on Tuesday in anger at US air strikes that killed more than two dozen paramilitary fighters at the weekend.

They marched through checkpoints that usually restrict access to Baghdad’s high-security Green Zone, chanting “Death to America,“ burning US flags and holding posters calling for the embassy to be shut down.

Shouting "Down, Down USA!" the protesters tried to push inside the embassy grounds, hurling water bottles and smashing security cameras outside. They pulled security cameras off the wall as Iraqi security forces tried to keep them back.

Kataib Hezbollah flag flying over US embassy in Baghdad.

US airstrikes this week killed at least 25 fighters and 55 wounded from an Iran-backed Shia group in Iraq. The US military carried out the strikes on Sunday against the Iranian-backed Kataeb Hezbollah, calling it retaliation for last week's killing of an American contractor in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base that it blamed on the group.

Tuesday's attempted embassy storming took place after mourners held funerals for the fighters killed in a Baghdad neighbourhood, after which they marched on to the heavily fortified Green Zone and kept walking till they reached the embassy.

Security guards were seen retreating to the inside of the embassy. 

Protesters also were seen hanging yellow flags belonging to the Kataeb Hezbollah on the walls of the embassy.

The protest leaders are asking for closure of US embassy in Baghdad.