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| Rioters besiege British, German and US embassies in Khartoum | Rioters besiege British, German and US embassies in Khartoum |
| (8 days later) | |
| The British, German and US embassies in Khartoum have been besieged by rioters as the wave of anger over an amateur film denigrating the prophet Muhammad spread around the Islamic world and beyond. | The British, German and US embassies in Khartoum have been besieged by rioters as the wave of anger over an amateur film denigrating the prophet Muhammad spread around the Islamic world and beyond. |
| At least three people were reported to have been killed in the Tunisian capital of Tunis on Friday after crowds of stone-throwing rioters clashed with police outside the US embassy, which responded with teargas. Flames and black smoke billowed from an outbuilding in the embassy compound as explosions rang out, apparently caused by petrol bombs thrown into the compound by protesters. | At least three people were reported to have been killed in the Tunisian capital of Tunis on Friday after crowds of stone-throwing rioters clashed with police outside the US embassy, which responded with teargas. Flames and black smoke billowed from an outbuilding in the embassy compound as explosions rang out, apparently caused by petrol bombs thrown into the compound by protesters. |
| Some demonstrators scaled the compound wall, fixing two black Salafi flags with silver inscriptions to the railings. Other protesters were driven back by repeated volleys of teargas fired by riot police from inside. Across the motorway which runs alongside the embassy compound, an American secondary school attended mainly by expatriate children was torched and equipment, such as computer screens and printers, were looted. | Some demonstrators scaled the compound wall, fixing two black Salafi flags with silver inscriptions to the railings. Other protesters were driven back by repeated volleys of teargas fired by riot police from inside. Across the motorway which runs alongside the embassy compound, an American secondary school attended mainly by expatriate children was torched and equipment, such as computer screens and printers, were looted. |
| In Khartoum, protesters were reported to have targeted the German embassy first, storming through the outer wall and setting fire to a car near the gates before being pushed back by police firing teargas. The crowd then moved on to the British embassy nearby. | In Khartoum, protesters were reported to have targeted the German embassy first, storming through the outer wall and setting fire to a car near the gates before being pushed back by police firing teargas. The crowd then moved on to the British embassy nearby. |
| William Hague, the foreign secretary, said demonstrators broke down the embassy compound wall and caused some minor damage, but did not enter the embassy itself. As the attack happened on Friday, the Sudanese weekend, few embassy staff were in the building and all British and Sudanese employees were safe, he said. | William Hague, the foreign secretary, said demonstrators broke down the embassy compound wall and caused some minor damage, but did not enter the embassy itself. As the attack happened on Friday, the Sudanese weekend, few embassy staff were in the building and all British and Sudanese employees were safe, he said. |
| "The neighbouring German embassy, which appeared to be the focus of the attack, was set on fire and severely damaged. We remained in close contact with the Germans throughout the incident and were able to offer shelter to German diplomats. I am pleased to say that they are also safe," he said. | "The neighbouring German embassy, which appeared to be the focus of the attack, was set on fire and severely damaged. We remained in close contact with the Germans throughout the incident and were able to offer shelter to German diplomats. I am pleased to say that they are also safe," he said. |
| The US embassy announced later that demonstrators had been expelled from its compound. | The US embassy announced later that demonstrators had been expelled from its compound. |
| Protests, mostly aimed at American embassies, were also reported on Friday in Iraq, Iran, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Yemen, Egypt, Jerusalem and the West Bank, Malaysia, Indonesia and Nigeria. | Protests, mostly aimed at American embassies, were also reported on Friday in Iraq, Iran, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Yemen, Egypt, Jerusalem and the West Bank, Malaysia, Indonesia and Nigeria. |
| The unrest began on Tuesday in Cairo, where protesters stormed the American embassy. It then spread to the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, where the US consulate was gutted by an armed mob and the ambassador, Chris Stevens, and three other employees were killed. | The unrest began on Tuesday in Cairo, where protesters stormed the American embassy. It then spread to the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, where the US consulate was gutted by an armed mob and the ambassador, Chris Stevens, and three other employees were killed. |
| Two US destroyers have sailed towards the Libyan coast and President Barack Obama has despatched a unit of marines specially trained in counter-terrorist operations. US drones flew over Benghazi on Friday, and were targeted by anti-aircraft fire from extremist groups in the area who are believed to have led the storming of the consulate. As a result, the city's airport was temporarily closed. | Two US destroyers have sailed towards the Libyan coast and President Barack Obama has despatched a unit of marines specially trained in counter-terrorist operations. US drones flew over Benghazi on Friday, and were targeted by anti-aircraft fire from extremist groups in the area who are believed to have led the storming of the consulate. As a result, the city's airport was temporarily closed. |
| US marines were also reported to have arrived in Yemen to bolster the security of the embassy in the capital, Sana'a, which has also been the target of rioters. | US marines were also reported to have arrived in Yemen to bolster the security of the embassy in the capital, Sana'a, which has also been the target of rioters. |
| Despite widespread revulsion and pledges by the Libyan and Egyptian governments to protect foreign embassies, the outrage showed no signs of abating in the Arab and Islamic world. | Despite widespread revulsion and pledges by the Libyan and Egyptian governments to protect foreign embassies, the outrage showed no signs of abating in the Arab and Islamic world. |
| Richard Woods, who was in Khartoum, said there were signs the demonstrators had been bussed into the area in an organised manner. | Richard Woods, who was in Khartoum, said there were signs the demonstrators had been bussed into the area in an organised manner. |
| "This is quite worrying. It appears that after prayers buses and trucks were on hand to transport people to the areas I have already identified," he wrote on the Guardian website. "We have just had afternoon prayers and again you can see people being picked up by trucks and buses around the mosques. | "This is quite worrying. It appears that after prayers buses and trucks were on hand to transport people to the areas I have already identified," he wrote on the Guardian website. "We have just had afternoon prayers and again you can see people being picked up by trucks and buses around the mosques. |
| "They may be going home, of course, and the streets are as quiet as ever on a typical Friday, save a few sirens. However that kind of organisation is not what I am used to here so I remain concerned," he said. "I think we will know better after evening prayers but I am considering closing the school as a precaution for tomorrow. Apparently you could see the smoke from the German embassy from the school earlier, as we are quite close to it, but thankfully that seems to have died down." | "They may be going home, of course, and the streets are as quiet as ever on a typical Friday, save a few sirens. However that kind of organisation is not what I am used to here so I remain concerned," he said. "I think we will know better after evening prayers but I am considering closing the school as a precaution for tomorrow. Apparently you could see the smoke from the German embassy from the school earlier, as we are quite close to it, but thankfully that seems to have died down." |
| In the Nigerian city of Jos, troops opened fire with live ammunition to disperse around 2,000 young people who had gathered outside the central mosque. There were no reports of any injuries. | In the Nigerian city of Jos, troops opened fire with live ammunition to disperse around 2,000 young people who had gathered outside the central mosque. There were no reports of any injuries. |
| The film which sparked the unrest, Innocence of Muslims, appears to have been made by a Californian Coptic Christian who posed as an Israeli. The film was denounced as "reprehensible" by the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton. | The film which sparked the unrest, Innocence of Muslims, appears to have been made by a Californian Coptic Christian who posed as an Israeli. The film was denounced as "reprehensible" by the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton. |
| • This article was amended on 17 September 2012 to remove personal details. | • This article was amended on 17 September 2012 to remove personal details. |
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