Diplomatic crisis between Iraq and Sweden sparks Turkey’s “disgusting” act

Iraq ordered the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador in Baghdad on Thursday (July 20) in response to the desecration of a copy of the Koran in Stockholm, which led to an attack on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, which was set on fire by demonstrators.

After a mini-rally in the Swedish capital, where Islam’s holy book was trampled but not burned as planned, the Iraqi government ordered the expulsion of the Scandinavian country’s ambassador in Baghdad and recalled its own representative.

Iraqi authorities have also announced the cancellation of Swedish telecommunications equipment company Ericsson’s license in the country.

On Thursday evening, around 200 demonstrators protested the desecration of the Koran in Baghdad. “Yes, yes, to the Koran”They specifically chanted while displaying the Islamic holy book and Iraqi flags.

Some burned Swedish flags, an Agence France-Presse photographer said. “This is aggression against two billion Muslims.”Amjad al-Maliki, a 46-year-old civil servant, was abducted.

Supporters of Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad at dawn, setting it on fire before being dispersed by police with water cannons after Swedish police announced Wednesday they would allow a small rally in which copies of the Koran were burned.

Sweden’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that consular officers “safe”Condemned the attack “unacceptable”. He then summoned Iraqi officials to Stockholm.

“New Provocation”

There is France and America “Sentenced” Attack on Embassy, ​​Washington Verdict “It is unacceptable that the Iraqi security forces did not act to stop the demonstrators” Enter it.

Turkey, which has long blocked Sweden’s NATO membership, condemned the humiliation “disgusting” and urged Stockholm “Take emergency measures” Any new activity like this should be avoided.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the desecration of the Quran. “New Provocation”. Its Secretary-General Hissine Brahim Daha urged Stockholm “Stop giving (legislative) sanction to extremist groups and individuals”According to a press release.

During the pre-dawn incident in Baghdad, some protesters were chased with electric batons while others responded with rocks, an AFP photographer said.

Calm returned after hours of tension between demonstrators and riot police in front of the Swedish embassy building, with the extent of the damage still unknown. According to security sources, around 20 people were arrested. Iraqi officials have decided “Bring arrested arsonists to justice”According to the services of the Prime Minister of Iraq.

Hours after the violence in Baghdad, the organizer of a rally in Stockholm, Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old Iraqi refugee in Sweden, desecrated a copy of the Koran but did not carry out his plan.

“It’s a Circus”

In front of the audience, kept at a distance by barriers, from which rose cries and others “God is great!” (“God is Great” !), he trampled several times and tore the copy of the book to pieces, but did not set it on fire as he declared. “I don’t like burning scriptures, I’m so glad it didn’t happen today”AFP Rikard Wall is a 66-year-old retiree living in Stockholm.

“It’s a circus, it’s a show, it’s advertising, it’s a clown”, he added. Swedish police have allowed the rally in the name of freedom of assembly, but insist this does not excuse what will happen there.

At the end of June, Salvan Momika had already burned some pages of the Koran in front of Stockholm’s largest mosque on the first day of Eid al-Adha, celebrated by Muslims around the world.

This first incident prompted supporters of Moqtada Sadr to besiege the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, but they quickly withdrew.

Stockholm Mr. Momica’s gesture sparked international condemnation. This kind of action has already taken place in Sweden or other European countries, sometimes at the initiative of far-right movements.

In January, Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist Rasmus Paludan took action near the Turkish embassy.