Afghan “Koran burning” protests leave 7 deadFebruary 22, 2012 - 16:21 AMT 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. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |