Rioters storm presidential palace in Baghdad, U.S. Embassy threatened

It was reported on Monday that the Presidential Palace in Baghdad, Iraq was breached, and that the US embassy was reportedly evacuated. There were reports of US embassy employees seen leaving the embassy, and evacuating the Green Zone, via helicopter.

Muqtada al Sadr announced on Monday that he was leaving politics, spurring Shiites to riot and breach the presidential palace. Al Sadr is their biggest political leader in Iraq and once led militias during the war. “I hereby announce my final withdrawal,” al-Sadr said.

A riot broke out inside the Presidential Palace as people stormed in and law enforcement attempted to hold them back.