Iraqi Govt Issues a Warning
The Iraqi government issued a warning that it will sever diplomatic relations with Sweden if Sweden permits a repeat of burning of the Qur’an.
Previously, there had been talk of a second protest in Sweden, to burn another copy of the Qur’an.
A few days ago, Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old who had fled from Iraq to Sweden years ago, staged a protest on June 28. He set a copy of the Qur’an ablaze after getting permission from Swedish authorities.
In response to the burning of the Qur’an in Sweden, hundreds of Iraqis stormed the Swedish embassy in central Baghdad in the early hours of Thursday morning. They scaled its walls and started a small fire as a form of protest.
The Iraqi govt later announced that it would take action against those responsible for starting the fire at the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad.
Muqtada Sadr’s supporters organised the demonstration and opposed the planned Qur’an burning in Sweden.
Notably, Muqtada Sadr holds significant influence in Iraq. It can mobilize hundreds of thousands of followers to take to the streets, as seen in past incidents.
Notably, the Swedish police gave permission for a public meeting outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm on Thursday. The application stated the intention to burn the Qur’an and the Iraqi flag.
Videos posted to the Telegram group, One Baghdad, showed people gathering around the embassy around 1 a.m. on Thursday.
They were chanting pro-Sadr slogans and eventually stormed the embassy complex about an hour later.
The incident of Quran burning in Sweden has annoyed Muslims the world over. They demanded action against the desecration of the Holy Quran.
