Iraq’s Presidential Palace Breached; US Denies Embassy Was Evacuated

Supporters of Iraqi populist leader Moqtada al-Sadr clash with supporters of the Coordination Framework, a group of Shi'ite parties, at the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, on Aug. 29, 2022. Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters

Several Iraqis were killed on Monday after powerful Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said he would quit politics, prompting followers to storm the presidential compound in Baghdad.

A video uploaded on Monday appeared to show U.S. Embassy staff in Baghdad being evacuated via military helicopter. However, the White House denied those reports during a news briefing on Monday.