Afghan protests erupt over Koran 'burning' By Shah Marai (AFP) –

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Afghan protests erupt over Koran 'burning'
By Shah Marai (AFP) – 4 hours ago*
BAGRAM, Afghanistan — Protesters firing petrol bombs and slingshots besieged the largest US-run military base in Afghanistan on Tuesday, furious over reports that NATO troops had set fire to copies of the Koran.
The enraged crowd shouted "Death to Americans" and "Death to infidels" as guards at Bagram airbase, north of Kabul, responded by firing rubber bullets from a watchtower, said an AFP photographer, who was hit in the neck.
Hundreds of other people protested in the Afghan capital as security forces dispatched reinforcements in a bid to stop the demonstrations from spiralling out of control in the fiercely conservative Islamic country.
The US commander in Afghanistan, General John Allen, apologised and ordered an investigation into a report that troops "improperly disposed of a large number of Islamic religiouse materials which included Korans".
"I offer my sincere apologies for any offence this may have caused, to the president of Afghanistan, the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and most importantly, to the noble people of Afghanistan," he said.
Allen's remarkably candid statement, apparently aimed at damage limitation after similar incidents led to violence and attacks on foreigners, was played repeatedly on Afghan television.
Allegations that NATO troops at Bagram had set fire to copies of the Muslim holy book were first reported by Afghans working at the base, a senior government official said.
A local police official said more than 2,000 people were demonstrating outside the sprawling US-run Bagram base at one stage.
The AFP photographer saw at least seven other protesters hit by rubber bullets, some of them bleeding.
Sediq Sediqqi, an interior ministry spokesman, said that by early afternoon the demonstration was under control and there was no further violence.
Another protest by about 500 people broke out in the Pul-e-charkhi district of Kabul not far from major NATO bases on the Jalalabad road, police spokesman Ashamat Estanakzai told AFP.
That was also brought under control and the crowd later dispersed, he said.
Last April, 10 people were killed and dozens of others were injured during days of unrest unleashed by the burning of a Koran by American pastor Terry Jones in Florida.
Allen's statement reflected concern over the impact of the latest incident in the country, where US troops have been fighting against a Taliban insurgency for more than 10 years and supporting President Hamid Karzai's government.
"I have ordered an investigation into a report I received during the night that ISAF personnel at Bagram Airbase improperly disposed of a large number of Islamic religious materials which included Korans," he said.
"When we learned of these actions, we immediately intervened and stopped them. The materials recovered will be properly handled by appropriate religious authorities.
"We are thoroughly investigating the incident and we are taking steps to ensure this does not ever happen again. I assure you -- I promise you -- this was NOT intentional in any way."
Allen thanked "the local Afghan people who helped us identify the error, and who worked with us to immediately take corrective action".
Last month, US officials scrambled to condemn four US soldiers shown in an online video urinating on the bloodied corpses of three Taliban insurgents.
The video, including one of the soldiers saying "Have a great day, buddy", conjured up previous abuses committed by US troops during the decade-long war.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE81K09T20120221

Afghans protest over reported Koran desecration
By Samar Zwak
BAGRAM, AFGHANISTAN | Tue Feb 21, 2012 6:55am EST
By Samar Zwak

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Reuters) - About 2,000 Afghans protested outside the main U.S. military base in Afghanistan on Tuesday over a report that foreign soldiers improperly disposed of copies of the Koran.

U.S. helicopters fired flares to try to break up as many as 2,000 demonstrators who massed outside several gates to the base, chanting anti-foreigner slogans and throwing stones.

Roshna Khalid, the provincial governor's spokeswoman, said copies of the Muslim holy book had been burnt inside Bagram airbase, an hour's drive north of the capital Kabul, citing accounts from local laborers.

"The laborers normally take the garbage outside and they found the remains of Korans," Khalid said.

NATO's top general in Afghanistan attempted to contain fury over the incident, which could be a public relations disaster for the U.S. military as it tries to pacify the country ahead of the withdrawal of foreign combat troops in 2014.

"When we learned of these actions, we immediately intervened and stopped them. The materials recovered will be properly handled by appropriate religious authorities," said General John Allen, head of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), in a written statement, as well as in a video released on a U.S. military website.

"This was NOT intentional in any way."

Reuters reporters at the scene said there were about 2,000 protesters.

"We Afghans don't want these Christians and infidels, they are the enemy of our soil, our honor and our Koran," said Haji Shirin, one of the protesters.

"I urge all Muslims to sacrifice themselves in order to pull out these troops from this soil."

Bagram also houses a prison for Afghans detained by American forces. The centre has caused resentment among Afghans because of reports of torture and ill-treatment of suspected Taliban prisoners, with President Hamid Karzai demanding the transfer of prisoners to Afghan security.

Allen did not provide details on the incident.

Winning the hearts and minds of Afghans is critical to U.S. efforts to defeating the Taliban, but critics say Western forces often fail to grasp Afghanistan's religious and cultural sensitivities.

"I offer my sincere apologies for any offence this may have caused, to the president of Afghanistan, the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and most importantly, to the noble people of Afghanistan," said Allen.

The apology did little to ease anger. The Koran is the holy book of Islam any hint that Western forces are showing it disrespect could deepen resentment over their presence in Afghanistan.

"We want them out of our country now," said Zmari, 30, a protester who has a shop near to the base.

Protests raged for three days across Afghanistan in April last year after a U.S. pastor burned a Koran in Florida.

Eleven people were killed when demonstrators stormed a U.N. compound in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, including seven foreign U.N. workers. Another riot in the southern city of Kandahar left nine dead and more than 80 wounded.

(Additional reporting by Mirwais Harooni; Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Ed Lane)

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"We Afghans don't want these Christians and infidels, they are the enemy of our soil, our honor and our Koran," said Haji Shirin, one of the protesters.