ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The US has shut its consulate in Basra for security reasons and updated its travel advisory. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the decision to put the office “on ordered departure,” spokesperson Heather Nauert announced in a published statement. “Ordered Departure is initiated in extraordinary circumstances when the embassy or consulate is no longer confident of the security of its personnel and families. Implementation of this status mandates the departure of all non-emergency mission staff and employees,” according to State Department regulations. Consular services will be handled by the embassy in Baghdad, Nauert’s statement added. Basra was rocked by deadly protests this summer as people vented anger about lack of electricity and clean water, high unemployment, and government corruption. Rockets were reportedly fired in the area of the US consulate, near the airport. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said they will hold Iran responsible for any attacks on American interests by their proxies like the Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq.
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