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Only hours after protesters, incensed by the burning of Quran copies in Sweden, stormed and set ablaze the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, Iraq expels Sweden's ambassador in a sudden twist of events.

The Fallout from the Swedish Embassy Incident

In the fallout of the violent protest, the Iraqi prime minister has recalled the nation's charge d’affaires from Sweden, the government announced on Thursday. Additionally, Swedish telecom giant Ericsson’s working permit on Iraqi soil has been suspended, state media reports. Eyewitness accounts from Al Jazeera's Mahmoud Abdelwahed depict the scene as the protesters waving flags and placards bearing the image of influential Iraqi Shia religious and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr.

Iraq Expels Sweden's Ambassador Amid Unrest

The embassy burning served as a form of protest against the second planned desecration of a Quran in front of the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm. Although the Sweden protesters inflicted partial damage on a book they claimed to be the Quran, they refrained from burning it as previously threatened.

In the wake of the turmoil in Baghdad, the Swedish foreign ministry confirmed the safety of all embassy staff while condemning the attack and emphasising the responsibility of Iraqi authorities in safeguarding diplomatic missions.

The Iraqi Government's Response to the Crisis

Simultaneously, Iraq's foreign ministry expressed their condemnation of the incident. They asserted that an urgent investigation is underway, with security authorities tasked to shed light on the incident and ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable.

However, a follow-up statement from the Iraqi government delivered a stern warning to Sweden, stating that a second instance of Quran burning could lead to a rupture of diplomatic relations.

The Aftermath of the Swedish Embassy Attack

By dawn, security forces had secured the embassy premises, while firefighters battled persistent flames. While most protestors had dispersed, a handful remained in the vicinity. Protestors issued a warning of continued unrest "if any more burnings of the Quran happen", according to Al Jazeera’s Abdelwahed. They even threatened to take matters into their own hands if the Swedish diplomatic mission wasn't dismissed immediately.

Iraq Expels Sweden's Ambassador: The Voices of Protest

One protestor, Hassan Ahmed, told French news agency AFP that the demonstration was an expression of their love and faith. He called upon both Swedish and Iraqi governments to put a halt to such provocations.

The Sparks Igniting the Controversy

Swedish media identified Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee in Sweden, as the organizer of the planned Quran burning. Previously, Salwan had burned pages from the Quran during Eid al-Adha, a global Muslim celebration, leading to a similar protest at Sweden's embassy in Baghdad.