Afghan “Koran burning” protests leave 7 dead

PanARMENIAN.Net - At least seven protesters died and dozens were injured Wednesday, February 22 when thousands of Afghans demonstrated against alleged Koran burning by international troops, officials said.

As M&C reported, citing DPA, in Parwan province, just north of Kabul, six people were killed and 13 injured in Shinwari district, said Roshana Khalid, spokeswoman for the provincial governor.

“The protesters tried to storm the district headquarters and started attacking the Afghan police with live fire,” she said.

Khalid said the protesters hurled rocks and fired guns at the police. “They vandalized private and police vehicles,” she said.

Another protester in the eastern city of Jalalabad, 150 kilometres south-east of the capital, was shot dead, an official said.

On Monday, foreign troops “improperly disposed” of Islamic religious materials, including copies of the Koran, at the Bagram air base, according to the NATO-led coalition.