The Obama administration said Monday it’s received assurances from the Iraqi government that security forces in Baghdad are prepared to protect U.S. diplomatic staff in the wake of Shiite protesters breaching the famed walls of the “Green Zone” in the heart of the city.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the administration sought the guarantees of safety for U.S. personnel after the followers of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr stormed the walls of the supposedly secure zone and briefly occupied a government ministry.
“We’re going to continue to closely monitor the situation,” Mr. Earnest said. “It’s a pretty chaotic situation there. We have received assurances from the Iraqi government and from Iraqi security forces” to protect U.S. embassy personnel.
The White House also insisted that the fresh instability in Baghdad is having no impact on the U.S.-led coalition’s fight against the Islamic State terrorist group and the efforts to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul.
The cleric and his followers stormed into the Green Zone barely 48 hours after a surprise visit from Vice President Joseph R. Biden, who was trying to encourage Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and others to complete forming a new central government.
Mr. Earnest said the vice president’s visit “underscores the challenges” that Mr. Abadi is facing.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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