Author: Idris Ali and Phil Stewart
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Marines fired at demonstrators during a weekend attack on the Karachi consulate, two U.S. officials said on Monday, a rare use of force at a diplomatic outpost that could lead to a sharp escalation of tensions in the country amid widespread protests over the killing of an Iranian leader.
Ten people were killed on Sunday when protesters breached the compound’s outer wall after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an attack on Iran.
It was unclear whether the bullets fired by the Marines hit or killed anyone, two U.S. officials said, citing preliminary information. They also don’t know whether others on the protection mission also fired shots, including private security guards and local police.
It would mark the first time U.S. officials have confirmed Marines were involved in firing on protesters.
Provincial government spokesman Sukhdev Assardas Hemnani said “security” personnel opened fire but did not specify their affiliation.
Day-to-day security operations at U.S. diplomatic missions are typically performed by private contractors and local forces, and the involvement of the Marines in this incident underscores the seriousness with which the consulate takes this threat.
Pakistan is home to the world’s second-largest Shia community after Iran. Pakistan banned large gatherings across the country on Monday after protests spread over an attack on Iran, with 26 people reported dead across the country.
On Sunday, protesters chanted “Death to America! Death to Israel!” Outside the consulate, a Reuters reporter heard gunshots and saw tear gas fired in surrounding streets.
Videos on social media appeared to show at least one protester firing at the consulate, with blood-stained demonstrators fleeing as gunfire rang out.
A Karachi police official told Reuters the shots were fired from inside the consulate premises.
The Marine Corps referred questions to the U.S. military, which in turn referred questions to the State Department. The U.S. State Department did not respond to a request for comment.
Shia community leaders have called for more protests in Lahore and Karachi despite a nationwide ban on public gatherings.
The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan is located in the capital, Islamabad, and there are two consulates in Peshawar and Lahore.
Roads leading to the U.S. Consulate in Karachi were blocked and there was a heavy police presence in the area. Similar measures were taken 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)
