Iraqi security forces on Saturday dispersed about 1,000 supporters of cleric Moqtada Sadr who tried to march to Baghdad’s Green Zone housing foreign embassies.

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Monitoring: The protesters were reacting to reports of an apparent desecration of the Muslim holy book for the third time in a month, with the first two in Sweden already raising diplomatic tensions.

On its Facebook page, the extreme right group Danske Patrioter posted on Friday a video of a man burning what seemed to be the holy book and trampling an Iraqi flag. Copenhagen police deputy chief Trine Fisker claimed, “I can confirm there was a book burnt.

We do not know which book it was. It was quite peaceful.”

In Baghdad, Iraqi security forces cut two bridges leading to the high-security Green Zone where government institutions and foreign embassies are located. The demonstrators tried to force their way through but dispersed several hours later, following scuffles, an interior ministry official told AFP, speaking anonymously.