Italy has deplored the attacks on the United State embassy in Baghdad this week in a statement expressing “solidarity” with the US and vowing “active” support for the fight against the Islamic State jihadist group and terrorism and instability in Iraq.
“Italy firmly condemns the recent attacks against a premise of the Global Coalition against Daesh (IS) in Iraq and the American Embassy in Baghdad,” a foreign ministry statement said on Wednesday.
“Italy extends its solidarity to the US and Iraq for their victims and wounded,” added the statement, referring to attacks on Tuesday against the US embassy compound in Baghdad.
US troops fired tear gas on Tuesday to disperse a crowd that got into a reception area in the compound, which is in the capital’s heavily fortified Green Zone. A guard post on the street nearby was also set alight during the tense standoff which continued through Wednesday
“Italy underlines the necessity to respect the inviolability of Diplomatic missions and to guarantee the security of their personnel, wishing for a prompt normalisation of the situation,” the statement added.
The statement said Italy reaffirmed its “active contribution to the efforts of the Global Coalition against IS and its support to Iraq in fighting terrorism and building a future of peace, stability and prosperity for all Iraqis.”
The protestors were angered US air strikes against bases associated with the Kataib Hezbollah militia in western Iraq and eastern Syria on Sunday, in which at least 25 fighters died. Iran denied it organised
The US said it was retaliating for a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base in Kirkuk on Friday that killed an American civilian contractor.
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