Swedish Embassy In Baghdad Burned As Iraqis Storm Compound Over Planned Quran-Burning

Hundreds of Iraqis outraged by a planned burning of a Koran in Stockholm stormed Sweden's embassy in Baghdad over Wednesday night and set it ablaze. 

The protesters were spurred into action by the powerful Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who has railed against a string of incidents in Sweden where the Quran has been variously burned or torn apart. His latest call to action was a response to the anticipated Thursday burning of a Quran and an Iraqi flag outside Iraq's embassy in Stockholm. 

“Attacks on embassies and diplomats constitute a serious violation of the Vienna Convention," said the Swedish Foreign Ministry in a statement. "Iraqi authorities have the responsibility to protect diplomatic missions and diplomatic staff.”

Swedish officials said all of its embassy employees were unharmed, but the same can't be said for the place where they work. Videos circulating on social media that purportedly depict the situation at the embassy show the building emitting flames and smoke, with the grounds fully controlled by a rowdy mob.

Declaring Sweden "hostile" to Islam, Sadr has urged the Iraqi government to cut diplomatic ties. Neighboring Iran said it wouldn't send a new ambassador to Sweden, and summoned the country's charge d'affaires for a scolding over toleration of serial desecration of Islam's central religious text. Condemnation has also been issued by Egypt, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Jordan. 

One of the people who desecrated a Quran in Sweden is an Iraqi Christian who calls himself a refugee and wants the Quran to be banned. Iraq's government is asking Sweden to extradite him to face consequences in his native country. Sweden has charged him with agitation against an ethnic or national group.

Social media accounts of the embassy takeover suggest that protesters amassed around the compound around 1 am local time and conquered it by 2 am. 

Reuters)

Iraq's foreign ministry condemned the sacking of the embassy, noting that the government had ordered authorities to swiftly investigate it and hold responsible parties to account. 

Reuters)

As daylight broke, Iraqi security forces had secured the compound, and the great majority of the Sadrist mob had left the area. 

Sweden's string of Quran incidents is complicating the country's drive to join NATO, which requires Turkey's vote. Turkey has cited the incidents as one reason to potentially reject Sweden's application. 

Turkish president Erdogan given a series of mixed signals about his government's support for Sweden's bid. Last week, NATO said Erdogan had agreed to endorse Sweden's joining of the mutual defense treaty, only to have Erdogan dampen optimism again by saying the choice was up to the Turkish parliament -- and noting that Sweden had more work to do to secure its support.