Quran burning in Denmark as Egypt, Bahrain summon Sweden diplomats

Adam Lucente

Jul 25, 2023

A Shiite Muslim man raises a Koran as he takes part in a mourning ritual in the city of Nasiriyah in Iraq's southern Dhi Qar province eraly on July 22, 2023, during the Muslim month of Muharram in the lead-up to Ashura. Ashura is a 10-day mourning period commemorating the seventh century killing of Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Hussein. (Photo by Asaad NIAZI / AFP) (Photo by ASAAD NIAZI/AFP via Getty Images) — A Shiite Muslim man raises a Koran as he takes part in a mourning ritual in the city of Nasiriyah in Iraq's southern Dhi Qar province eraly on July 22, 2023, during the Muslim month of Muharram in the lead-up to Ashura. — ASAAD NIAZI/AFP via Getty Images)

Egypt summoned a Swedish diplomat on Tuesday as relations between the West and the Islamic world continue to strain over incidents of burning the Quran.

The Swedish charge d’affaires was summoned in response to recent Quran burnings in Sweden, the state-owned news outlet Al-Ahram reported. The outlet did not specifically name the Swedish official. The ambassadorship is currently held by Hakan Emsgard.

Bahrain also summoned an unnamed Swedish diplomat based in Abu Dhabi in response to the Quran burnings, the official Bahrain News Agency reported. Sweden does not have an embassy in Bahrain.

Also on Tuesday, a group known as “Danske Patrioter” (Danish Patriots) set fire to Qurans outside the Turkish and Egyptian embassies in Copenhagen. The group previously burned the Islamic holy book in front of the Iraqi Embassy on Monday and last week, Reuters reported.