COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -
Developments in the Middle East over the past 48 hours have been fast-moving and sometimes confusing.
The most significant and often violent action has taken place in Yemen, Egypt, and Libya, where it now appears a coordinated and heavily weaponized assault took the lives of those four Americans including US Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens.
We've also seen smaller protests in Iraq and Iran.
The events began Tuesday around noon Cairo time when the US embassy put out statements referring to growing outrage over an anti-Islamic video called "Innocence of Muslims" made by a California-based real estate developer.
Excerpts of the video made their way onto YouTube. Within a few hours, a crowd began growing outside the embassy. Protesters scaled the walls and pulled down an American flag.
At about the same time, a group of gunmen attacked the US consulate in Benghazi in eastern Libya. Security forces were overwhelmed and it took hours before Libyan forces could regain control.
Ambassador Stevens was located and taken to a hospital, but it was too late. A few hours later, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a statement condemning the attack in Benghazi.
Protests over the movie and perhaps a US air strike that killed a top al-Qaeda leader then spread to Yemen where hundreds stormed the US embassy in Sanaa, pulled down the American flag, and replaced it with an Islamic flag.
Security forces eventually drove the protesters away.
This afternoon, there's word from Libya that a number of militants believed to have attacked the consulate have been taken into custody.
Based on the firepower used, which included rocket propelled grenades and assault weapons, there is considerable speculation the Libyan attack may have been planned and carried out as a terrorist act on the anniversary of 9/11.
Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved.
