After laying siege to US embassy in Baghdad for two days, Iraqi militia group finally withdraws
The US airstrike was in retaliation towards the missile attacks that killed a US contractor in northern Iraq last week.
The supporters of Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a militia group backed by Iran, withdrew from the United States embassy compound on Wednesday in Baghdad as the US deployed fresh troops in the region.
The two days relentless clash between the US security forces and the Iraqi militiamen finally came to an end after calls from the government and senior militia leaders, AFP reported.
Following the incident at the embassy in Baghdad, the US deployed 750 additional troops in Baghdad besides the 5,000 troops which were already stationed there.
On Tuesday, hundreds of militiamen and its supporters stormed the embassy compound in the green zone, smashing windows, breaking up the reception area, as a mark of protest against the US airstrike that hit Kataib Hezbollah bases over the weekend that killed 25 fighters. The US airstrike was in retaliation towards the missile attacks that killed a US contractor in northern Iraq last week.
Before breaching the embassy, the protestors gathered outside the building, hurled water bottles and destroyed security cameras.
Blaming Iran for the attack on the US embassy, Trump tweeted, "..Iran will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities. They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat. Happy New Year!"
The Green Zone is a highly secured area in Baghdad which houses embassies of various countries.