Two US officials confirmed to Reuters on Monday that US forces opened fire on demonstrators angry over the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.
Demonstrators stormed the US Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, over the weekend.The incident represents a rare use of force in a diplomatic mission and could lead to a sharp escalation in tensions in Pakistan, where protests have spread in the wake of the killing of the Iranian leader.
Nine dead and the American consulate stormed, as anger over Khamenei’s killing spread to the streets of Pakistan
At least 10 people were killed on Sunday after protesters breached the outer wall of the consulate following strikes in Iran that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.The US action against the protesters comes at a time when Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir are seen as close to US President Donald Trump.
The two American officials, citing preliminary information, said it was unclear whether the shots fired by the Marines injured or killed anyone. They also said they did not know whether others protecting the mission, including private security guards and local police, also opened fire.This will be the first confirmation from US officials that Marines were involved in shooting at protesters.Regional government spokesman Sukhdev Asardas Hamnani said that “security” personnel opened fire, but he did not specify which force they belonged to.
Security at US diplomatic missions is often handled by private contractors and local forces, and the Marines’ involvement suggests the consulate considers the threat serious.Pakistan is home to the second largest Shiite population in the world after Iran. The government on Monday banned large gatherings across the country after protests spread over strikes on Iran, with 26 people reported killed across the country.On Sunday, demonstrators chanted, “Death to America! Death to Israel!” Outside the consulate. Reuters reporters said they heard gunfire and saw tear gas being fired in nearby streets.Videos posted on social media showed at least one protester firing a weapon toward the consulate, while injured demonstrators were seen running as gunshots rang out.A Karachi police official told Reuters that shots were fired from inside the consulate complex.The US Marine Corps referred questions to the US Army, which then directed questions to the State Department. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to a request for comment.Shiite community leaders called for more protests in Lahore and Karachi despite a national ban on public gatherings.The US Embassy in Pakistan is located in Islamabad, and it has two additional consulates in Peshawar and Lahore.The authorities closed the roads leading to the US Consulate in Karachi and deployed heavy police forces in the area.
Similar security measures were taken around the US missions in Lahore and Islamabad.
The United States suspends visa appointments in Pakistan
Meanwhile, the United States has suspended all visa services in Pakistan, due to the “current security situation” in the country.The suspension applies to the US Embassy in Islamabad as well as the consulates in Lahore and Karachi, according to an embassy statement.She said the cancellations will remain in effect until Friday, March 6.
