Afghan protest grows on Qur'an burning

Afghan demonstrators in Kandahar marched through the streets on Sunday, the third day of protests against the recent Qur'an burning in the US.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/173160.html

Hundreds of students in Afghanistan have staged a fresh protest against the recent burning of the Holy Qur'an in the United States.

On Tuesday, the protesters gathered outside Kabul University to condemn the sacrilege of the Muslims' Holy book, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Protests against the burning of the holy Qur'an in a US church began in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Friday and later spread to all major cities in Afghanistan.

This is while in previous days, seven foreign workers of the United Nations were killed when a small number of furious protesters stormed the UN headquarters in Mazar-i-Sharif. Also on Saturday, 16 people lost their lives and dozens more were left injured during anti-US rallies in Kandahar.

In Kandahar province, at least two policemen were killed and 30 more people wounded after anti-US protests turned violent.

On March 20, American Pastor Wayne Sapp burned a copy of the Holy book under the supervision of controversial preacher Terry Jones in Florida.

Jones provoked an international outcry last year after he announced plans to burn copies of the Qur'an on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

30 killed in Afghan Qur'an burning march

Afghans shout anti- US slogans, behind a row of policemen, during a demonstration in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/172989.html

At least 30 people have been killed and nearly 150 others injured in four days of angry protests in Afghanistan against the burning of a copy of Islam's holy book by an American extremist pastor.

More than 1,000 Afghans took to the streets in Mehterlam, east of the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Monday, pushing angry protests into a fourth day, a Press TV correspondent reported.

In Kandahar province, at least two policemen were killed and 30 more people wounded after the anti-US protests turned violent.

The angry Afghan demonstrators urged punishment for those responsible for the desecration of the holy Qur'an.

They also set fire to the effigy of US President Barack Obama and demanded American troops leave the war-wrecked country.

Earlier on Saturday, 16 people lost their lives and dozens more were left injured during anti-US rallies in Kandahar.

Similar protests have also been staged in the capital Kabul and other Afghan provinces, including Nangarhar, Laghman,and Mazar-i-Sharif.

Seven foreign workers for the United Nations were also killed when a small number of furious protesters stormed the UN headquarters in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Friday.

On March 20, Pastor Terry Jones, who had already caused an outrage worldwide by threatening to burn copies of the Qur'an last September, broke his earlier promise and burned the holy Qur'an after holding a mock trial at his fringe church in the city of Gainesville.

US to stay in Afghanistan beyond 2011

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates


Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=137062§ionid=351020403


US Defense Secretary Robert Gates says his country will keep a large number of its troops in Afghanistan even after President Barack Obama's 2011 deadline for starting troop withdrawal.

Despite mounting US casualties in the war-torn country, Gates said the US-led forces were making headway in the war.

"I think we need to re-emphasize the message that we are not leaving Afghanistan in July of 2011," Gates told ABC's This Week.

The remarks echoed those of US Vice President Joe Biden, who had earlier hinted that the number of American troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan in 2011 would be as few as 2,000.

With 66 fatalities, July set the record as the deadliest month for American forces stationed in Afghanistan since the start of the war in 2001.

Gate, however, downplayed the number saying, "We have warned about this for months, that this summer would be very difficult for us. But I think there are tangible signs that this approach is working, this strategy is working."

Meanwhile, the Netherlands is withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan. The Dutch troops joined the US-led war in Afghanistan back in 2006.

The rising number of casualties has increased opposition to the Afghan war in the US and other European states.

Afghans hold anti-US rally in Kabul

Afghan demonstrators hold posters of children killed by foreign forces at a demonstration in Kabul on August 1, 2010

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=137058&sectionid=351020403

Hundreds of Afghan demonstrators have taken to the streets of Kabul in protest to the deaths of dozens of civilians in US-led airstrike.

Over 200 people took to streets of the Afghan Capital on Sunday.

Protesters chanted "death to America" and carried signs bearing pictures of children killed in the country's volatile south.

On July 23, a NATO rocket hit a house where Afghan civilians had taken refuge from the exchange of fire between US-led foreign forces and Taliban militants in Helmand Province.

The Afghan government has confirmed that 45 civilians, including women and children, were killed in the attack.

Afghan officials including President Hamid Karzai have repeatedly condemned and called for an end to the US-led military alliance's attacks on civilians.

The protests come as the UN Human Rights Office in Afghanistan has voiced concern about civilian casualties in the country. The office has warned that the number of civilian deaths has been rising over the past 18 months