A KFC branch in Baghdad’s Karrada was attacked by unknown assailants early Monday, less than 24 hours after another branch of the franchise was attacked with an IED in another area of the Iraqi capital.

Masked individuals wearing civilian clothes and caps on Monday targeted the KFC branch in Karrada, central Baghdad, just hours after a bomb attack on the restaurant’s branch in the capital city’s Palestine Street.

Videos circulated on social media showed several people storming the restaurant and destroying its contents.

A couple of hours later, an explosion was heard on Palestine Street in Baghdad. It was later identified as an attack on Lee's and Chilli House restaurants by individuals on a motorbike using an explosive device, without additional details regarding the attack.

In another incident earlier on Sunday evening, two individuals on a motorcycle threw an IED at a KFC branch on Palestine Street in Baghdad, causing material damage to the storefront.

Baghdad Operations Command on Sunday issued a statement announcing that it identified the individuals and arrested them, “after monitoring surveillance cameras and tracking the perpetrators, their identities were revealed, leading to their arrest. The motorcycle and the weapons (handguns) in their possession were confiscated.”

The Iraqi Minister of Interior Abdul Amir al-Shammari on Monday responded to recent attacks by overseeing their reopening and directing measures to hold accountable those responsible within the security forces.

“Several suspects have been arrested, and ongoing search operations are based on precise intelligence,” Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced on Monday.

The minister emphasized the need for decisive action in areas where attacks occur, underscoring the government's commitment to maintaining public safety and security.

Threats against American franchise restaurants in central Baghdad began in November of last year, citing support for Israel following the events of October 7th.

Photos viewed by The New Region showed the storefronts of several American restaurants smeared with red paint symbolizing blood, including KFC, Pizza Hut, and Cinnabon, marking them as legitimate targets if they did not close their doors.

An armed attack was conducted on a #KFC branch in #Baghdad's Karrada area by masked men in black vehicles.#TheNewRegion pic.twitter.com/pjSwHytF00

— The New Region (@thenewregion) May 27, 2024

A sign was taped to the front of a KFC location warned, “companies that support the usurping Zionist entity are a target for us! It is up to you now!”

Iraqi youth have initiated a robust Boycott campaign on January, mirroring global solidarity with Palestinians, to boycott products from companies supporting Israel's Gaza aggression.

They view this as a moral duty, aiming to break the silence on Israel's atrocities with a resounding protest.

On January 26, the Boycott campaign organized a protest in Baghdad against the impending opening of a new Pizza Hut branch, citing solidarity with Gaza and opposition to American franchises in Iraq.

The demonstration, held near the first KFC branch in the city, featured slogans denouncing Israel and advocating for boycott. Security forces ensured the safety of protesters and urged them to refrain from damaging property.