At least six people have
been killed and dozens injured in Afghanistan after protests spread over
the burning of copies of the Koran at a US airbase.
One person was killed in Kabul, one in the eastern city of Jalalabad and at least four in Parwan province.
US officials apologised on Tuesday after Korans were "inadvertently" put in an incinerator at Bagram airbase.
Officials at Bagram reportedly believed Taliban prisoners were using the books to pass messages to each other.
The charred remains of the volumes were found by local labourers.
Pro-Taliban slogans
Protesters in Kabul shouted, "Death to America!" and threw stones at Camp Phoenix, the main US base in the city.
Riot police used water cannon to disperse
protesters, some of whom were blocking the road leading to Jalalabad,
one of the main trade routes into the capital.
Witnesses said security guards were firing into the air. There were also reports of people chanting pro-Taliban slogans.
One protester in Kabul was killed and 10 wounded.
Four further deaths were confirmed in the Shinwari district
of Parwan province, north of Kabul. There were also peaceful protests in
the eastern province of Kunar.
In Jalalabad, protesters burned an effigy of US President
Barack Obama, and BBC Afghan reporter Babrak Miakhel said oil tankers
had been set on fire.
A doctor told the BBC one person had been killed and 10 injured.
One protester in Kabul, 18-year-old Ajmal, told Reuters:
"When the Americans insult us to this degree, we will join the
insurgents."
The US embassy in Kabul is on lockdown and all travel is suspended.
The Taliban called on Afghan police and soldiers to redeem
themselves by turning their guns away from protesters and towards
Nato-led troops.
The Afghan parliament held an emergency debate.
In a statement, MPs condemned what had happened, called for
punishment of those responsible and asked the Afghan government to send
its own delegation to Bagram to establish exactly what happened |