In response to the recent unrest and security concerns, Sweden has made the decision to temporarily relocate its embassy staff in Iraq back to Stockholm. The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs confirmed that seconded personnel have already arrived in Sweden via regular flights, as reported by the TT news agency on Friday.
The move comes after a violent incident where hundreds of Iraqis stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad and set fire to the building in the early hours of Thursday. Their actions were in protest against the burning of the Quran and the Iraqi flag in Sweden, according to Xinhua news agency.
Following the incident, the Iraqi government took significant steps by requesting the Swedish ambassador to leave Iraq and recalling its charge d’affaires from Sweden. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani issued the directives, citing the Swedish government’s repeated permission for the burning of the Quran, insults to Islamic sanctities, and the burning of the Iraqi flag.
This situation was further aggravated by the fact that the individual who burned the Quran in Stockholm last month had received permission from the Swedish Police for another demonstration, during which another burning was planned.
On June 30, protesters had previously stormed the Swedish embassy located just outside the heavily-fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad. This occurred after a copy of the Quran was torn up and burned in front of a mosque in Stockholm on June 28 during a demonstration authorized by Swedish authorities.
Given the escalating tensions and potential risks to embassy staff in Iraq, the temporary relocation to Stockholm aims to ensure their safety and well-being until the situation stabilizes.
