U.S. Marines reportedly opened fire when protesters stormed the U.S. consulate in Karachi, a rare use of force at a diplomatic post. Ten people were killed when demonstrators breached the compound’s outer wall; authorities have reported dozens more dead in unrest across Pakistan. Officials say it is still unclear whether Marine rounds struck anyone or whether private security or local police also fired. Roads to the consulate were blocked and a nationwide ban on large gatherings remains in effect.
Exclusive: U.S. Marines Reportedly Fired as Protesters Storm Karachi Consulate
Police and Paramilitary vehicles stand outside the U.S. Consulate General, a day after a protest following news of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Karachi, Pakistan, March 2, 2026. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro
U.S. Marines reportedly fired on demonstrators during a weekend assault on the U.S. consulate in Karachi, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday. The reported use of force at a diplomatic post is rare and risks inflaming tensions in Pakistan amid mass protests following strikes that officials say killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
What Happened
Ten people were killed Sunday after protesters breached the consulate compound’s outer wall, witnesses and officials said. Authorities said protests linked to the strikes spread across Pakistan, prompting a nationwide ban on large public gatherings and heightened security around U.S. missions.
Officials’ Accounts and Uncertainty
Two U.S. officials, citing preliminary information, said it was unclear whether rounds fired by Marines struck or killed anyone. They also said it remained unknown whether additional shots came from private security contractors, local police or armed demonstrators. A provincial government spokesman, Sukhdev Assardas Hemnani, said only that "security" personnel had opened fire, without specifying which forces were involved.
“It is not yet clear who fired the fatal rounds or whether Marine fire struck anyone,” one official told Reuters, emphasizing the early and unconfirmed nature of available reports.
Scenes On The Ground
Reuters reporters near the consulate heard gunfire and saw tear gas deployed in surrounding streets. Social media video circulated showing at least one protester firing toward the consulate and injured demonstrators fleeing as shots were exchanged. A Karachi police official told Reuters that some shots originated from within the consulate premises.
Responses And Security Measures
The U.S. Marines directed media inquiries to the U.S. military, which referred questions to the State Department; the State Department did not respond to a request for comment. Pakistani authorities blocked roads leading to the consulate, deployed heavy police presence, and reported dozens of deaths in unrest nationwide.
Context: Pakistan has the world’s second-largest Shi’ite community after Iran. Shi’ite leaders have urged further protests in major cities including Lahore and Karachi despite the nationwide ban.
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