Amid the outrage over the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at least nine people lost their lives and 32 others were injured in protests as hundreds stormed the US Consulate in Karachi on Sunday, Dawn News reported. The protest came hours after Iran confirmed the death of Ayatollah Khamenei in the joint strikes conducted by the US and Israel, as per AP.
In viral videos on social media, protestors are seen marching towards the consulate with sticks as they break the windows of the building.
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Speaking to AP, Mohammad Jawad, a police official said security personnel and paramilitary forces had to use batons and tear gas to disperse the crowd.
"We have moved at least eight dead bodies to Karachi's civil hospitals, while 20 others were injured in the consulate incident," Muhammad Amin, a spokesman for the Edhi Foundation rescue service, told news agency AFP, adding most had bullet wounds.
{{/usCountry}}"We have moved at least eight dead bodies to Karachi's civil hospitals, while 20 others were injured in the consulate incident," Muhammad Amin, a spokesman for the Edhi Foundation rescue service, told news agency AFP, adding most had bullet wounds.
{{/usCountry}}Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed told Dawn News that two injured policemen were brought to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for treatment, adding that their injuries were caused by hard and blunt objects, while two protesters with firearm wounds were also admitted.
According to the outlet, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar directed officials to identify alternative routes to ensure smooth traffic flow and instructed law enforcement agencies to remain on high alert and closely monitor the situation.
The report added that Keamari Senior Superintendent of Police Amjad Ahmed Shaikh mobilised additional police contingents to bolster security at sensitive locations.
In a traffic update issued around 11 am local time, Karachi Traffic Police said both carriageways from the Sultanabad Traffic Section towards Mai Kolachi had been closed due to a protest.
US President Donald Trump announced that the strikes carried out by the Washington and Tel Aviv had killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hours after this announcement on Truth Social, Iran announced that Khamenei was killed in his office during the strikes.
Following his death, Iran declared a 40 day mourning period and a seven day public holiday across the country.
Protests erupt in Iraq and India
In Iraq, security forces stood guard as protesters supporting the Iraqi Shi'ite armed groups gathered near the entrance of the Green Zone and attempted to move toward the US embassy in Baghdad.
In an effort to disperse the crowd, riot police targeted the crowd with tear gas. Iraq has also announced a three-day mourning in honour of Khamenei.
In India, protests were seen in Jammu and Kashmir and Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. In J&K, the city of Srinagar came to a standstill with shops closed and public transport suspended due to the mass movement.
In the UP city of Lucknow, large numbers of people across the old Lucknow took to the streets to protest against the killing of Khamenei. Prominent Shia cleric Maulana Yasub Abbas told news agency ANI that the killing of Khamenei as "very unfortunate" for the global community.