Unknown gunmen attack British Cambridge Institute in southern Iraq

Shafaq News/ An Iraqi police source reported on Wednesday that the British Cambridge Institute in Al-Diwaniyah was attacked.

The source told Shafaq News Agency that unknown gunmen targeted the institute with a stun grenade early this morning, injuring one of the building's guards.

On Tuesday, a security source reported that seven "vandals" were apprehended while attempting to attack a dairy factory in southern Baghdad, accusing the factory of supporting Israel against Gaza. Security forces swiftly took action, arresting the individuals and seizing their vehicles, including a government-owned Nissan Patrol. Further legal measures are being pursued.

Earlier on the same day, unidentified groups forcibly entered the premises of the "Prominent General Contracting and Trading Company," believed to be American-owned, in the industrial area of Awerij, south of Baghdad. According to a security source, they damaged surveillance cameras.

Additionally, tensions escalated in the Palestine Street area in eastern Baghdad yesterday evening when groups closed down American restaurants and vandalized their contents. Security forces responded by firing warning shots into the air to contain the situation.

Within a week, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior reported incidents of sabotage and homemade explosive devices targeting various locations in Baghdad, including KFC, Liz Jolie House, the Cambridge Institute, and the Caterpillar Company in the al-Karrada district. The perpetrators, riding motorcycles and vehicles, have been arrested and are affiliated with a security agency.

Last week, Washington condemned the series of attacks on businesses and restaurants, urging the Iraqi government to conduct a comprehensive investigation.

Social media platforms have expressed support for the attackers, citing their protest against U.S. support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas in Gaza.

The current wave of attacks on foreign enterprises in Iraq has shaken investor confidence, with strategic analysts warning of far-reaching consequences for the country's economy and international relations.

Western businesses have been damaged globally by boycotts and other forms of protest in response to Israel's military incursion in the Gaza Strip, which killed over 36,962 Palestinians, injured around 80,000 more, and caused a humanitarian crisis.