A reporter at the scene saw flames rising from inside the compound and at least three US soldiers on the roof of the main building inside embassy. Dozens of protesters pushed into the compound after smashing the gate used by vehicles to enter the embassy. No one was immediately reported hurt in the rampage and security staff had withdrawn to inside the embassy earlier, soon after protesters gathered outside. Seven armored vehicles with about 30 Iraqi soldiers arrived near the embassy hours after the violence erupted, deploying near the embassy walls but not close to the breached area. The Iranian-backed Iraqi militia on Monday vowed to retaliate for the US military strikes.

Source: Taipei Times December 31, 2019 16:41 UTC