Afghanistan: Koran protests in Kandahar and Jalalabad Skip to main content

Afghanistan: Koran protests in Kandahar and Jalalabad

Demonstrators in Jalalabad burn effigy of President Obama (3 April 2011) Demonstrators in Jalalabad chanted anti-American slogans and burned an effigy of President Obama

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Hundreds of demonstrators have marched through the streets of the Afghan cities of Kandahar and Jalalabad in new protests at the burning of a Koran in the US last month.
It comes after 14 people, including seven UN staff, were killed in violence after similar protests on Friday.
US President Barack Obama described the killings as "outrageous" and the Koran burning as "intolerance and bigotry".
Ten people died following protests in Kandahar on Saturday.
Dozens more were injured.
Protests spread On Sunday, demonstrators in Kandahar city - the birthplace of the Taliban - marched on the main UN office. There were also reports of smaller protests in two other districts of Kandahar province.
The protests have now spread to the eastern city of Jalalabad, where hundreds of protesters peacefully blocked a main road for three hours on Sunday.

“Start Quote

No religion tolerates the slaughter and beheading of innocent people”
US President Barack Obama
The crowd shouted for US troops to leave Afghanistan and burnt an effigy of Mr Obama, according to an Associated Press photographer at the scene.
The UN's chief envoy to Afghanistan, Staffan de Mistura, blamed Friday's violence in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif on the Florida pastor who burnt the Koran on 20 March.
"I don't think we should be blaming any Afghan," Mr de Mistura said. "We should be blaming the person who produced the news - the one who burned the Koran. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from offending culture, religion, traditions."
The UN would temporarily re-deploy 11 staff members to Kabul while their office in Mazar-e Sharif was rebuilt, he said, but there would be no evacuation.
Mr de Mistura insisted that Friday's attack "should not deter the UN presence, activities in this country in this delicate and particularly crucial period".
In a statement published on Saturday evening, Mr Obama extended his condolences to the families of those killed by the protesters in Afghanistan.
"The desecration of any holy text, including the Koran, is an act of extreme intolerance and bigotry," he said. "However, to attack and kill innocent people in response is outrageous, and an affront to human decency and dignity.
Condemnation
Terry Jones and Wayne Sapp (10 September 2011) Pastor Terry Jones (L) said and Wayne Sapp (R) did not feel responsible for the attack on the UN
The controversy began in Florida on 20 March, when Pastor Wayne Sapp soaked a Koran in kerosene, staged a "trial" during which the Islamic holy book was found guilty of "crimes against humanity", and then set it alight.
The incident took place under the supervision of Pastor Terry Jones, who last year drew condemnation over his aborted plan to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US.
Map of Afghanistan
The authorities in both Kandahar and Mazar-e Sharif have blamed the Taliban for the violence. However, the Taliban has rejected the accusation.
Pastor Jones has said that the Dove World Outreach Center's congregation does not "feel responsible" for the attack.
Witnesses said the protest in Mazar-e Sharif, which began outside the central Blue Mosque after Friday prayers, began peacefully but suddenly turned violent.
The crowds moved to outside the UN compound, where a small group broke away.
Several demonstrators were killed by guards at the compound, who were then overpowered by the mob.
Munir Ahmad Farhad, a spokesman for the governor of Balkh province, said the group seized weapons from the guards and stormed the building. Four Nepalese guards, a Norwegian, a Romanian and a Swede were killed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12949975
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