Exclusive-U.S. Marines fired on protesters storming consulate in Karachi, officials say
Written by: Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart
WASHINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) – U.S. Marines opened fire on demonstrators during a weekend attack on the Karachi consulate, two U.S. officials said on Monday; It was a rare use of force at a diplomatic outpost that could sharply escalate tensions in the country amid widespread protests over the killing of the Iranian leader.
Following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in attacks on Iran, 10 people died on Sunday when protesters breached the outer wall of the campus.
Two U.S. officials, who provided preliminary information, said it was unclear whether the bullets fired by the Marines hit or killed anyone. They also did not know whether shots were also fired by others guarding the mission, including private security guards and local police.
This marks the first confirmation by U.S. officials that the Marines played a role in opening fire on protesters.
State government spokesman Sukhdev Assardas Hemnani said “security” personnel opened fire without specifying their affiliation.
Day-to-day security operations at U.S. diplomatic missions are often handled by private contractors and local forces, and the Marine Corps’ involvement shows how seriously the consulate takes the threat.
Pakistan is home to the world’s second largest Shiite community after Iran. On Monday, Pakistan banned large gatherings across the country after protests over attacks on Iran spread and 26 people were reported dead across the country.
On Sunday, protesters chanted “Death to America! Death to Israel!” Outside the consulate, where Reuters reporters heard gunshots and saw tear gas being fired in surrounding streets.
Video on social media showed at least one protester firing a gun toward the consulate and bloodied demonstrators running away as gunshots were heard.
A Karachi police official told Reuters that the shots were fired from inside the consulate building.
The U.S. Marine Corps forwarded the questions to the U.S. military, which in turn forwarded the questions to the State Department. The State Department did not respond to a request for comment.
Shiite community leaders called for more protests in Lahore and Karachi despite a nationwide ban on public gatherings.
The US embassy in Pakistan is in the capital, Islamabad, and there are two additional consulates in Peshawar and Lahore.
Roads leading to the US consulate in Karachi were closed with heavy police presence in the area. Similar measures were implemented around the US missions in Lahore and Islamabad.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Additional reporting by Simon Lewis; Editing by Don Durfee and Cynthia Osterman)
