Developing
The U.S. Embassy in Syria has been attacked by protesters on the side of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Witnesses told the AP that the protesters have smashed windows and raised a Syrian flag above the U.S. embassy compound.
Embassy attacked by a mob, nobody hurt:
Several demonstrators climbed over a fence at the compound in Damascus, a senior U.S. State Department official said.
The building was not breached and protesters were later dispersed by the Syrian government, the official said.
The official who was inside the embassy said the the building sustained some damage but no personnel were injured.
"Today the U.S. Embassy was attacked by a mob" throwing rocks and using other destructive measures, the official said, adding that the attack lasted a few hours.
The Syrian government was slow in responding with additional security measures, the embassy official said. "We call on the Syrian government to abide by the protections required under the Vienna convention."
"This is an unfortunate distraction because the Syrian government continues to beat, imprison, torture and kill people who want to peacefully protest," the embassy official said.
The incident came a day after U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford slammed the Syrian government for letting "an anti-U.S. demonstration proceed freely while their security thugs beat down olive branch-carrying peaceful protesters elsewhere."
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