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| Afghanistan |
| Two dead as protesters clash with police in eastern Afghanistan |
| 2008-05-10 |
| A least two people were killed and seven wounded in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday in clashes between police and demonstrators protesting against civilian deaths at the hands of foreign troops, witnesses said. Several thousand protesters had blocked a highway through Nangarhar province linking the capital Kabul with Pakistan. They said they were demonstrating against the killing of three civilians in the area by foreign forces in an overnight raid. "Two of the protestors have been killed, six more wounded and one policeman has also been hurt by a stone," said a witness named Mandozai, a retired army officer who was among the protesters. The protesters said five civilians had also been detained in the raid, in the Shinwar district of Nangarhar. Both NATO-led and troops under U.S. command are stationed in the province. An official for NATO in Kabul said he was not aware of the raid. The U.S. military said all those killed were militants and the target of its raid was "a foreign fighter network". "During the operation, several militants were killed when they attacked coalition forces. Nine militants suspected of foreign fighter facilitation were detained," it said in a statement. "Additionally, coalition forces discovered several AK-47s, a bolt action rifle, ammunition and grenades on the compounds. These items were destroyed to prevent use." Protestors hurled stones at police, who responded by firing in the air and into the ground, a Reuters reporter at the scene said. "We will start jihad if they (foreign troops) continue to carry on like this," Khairullah, a 35 year-old protestor chanted as others shouted "Allahu akbar", or God is greatest. The demonstrators ended the protest after the intervention of some top provincial officials and the highway reopened after being closed for several hours, residents said. |
| Posted by:ryuge |