News - Afghanistan

Demonstrators massed for a second day in protest of reports that copies of the Koran had been burnt at Bagram Airbase, the biggest US base in Afghanistan.

The protests continued despite an immediate apology yesterday from the top Isaf commander in Afghanistan, General John Allen, and another apology from US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta.

"These actions do not represent the views of the United States military," Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters on Tuesday.

Protests were held on Wednesday on the outskirts of Kabul, in Jalalabad in the east of the country and Herat in the west.

Shots were fired for a second day in an attempt to control demonstrators, some of whom were chanting anti-foreigner slogans and throwing stones, reports said.

At least five Afghans were shot dead and dozens wounded Wednesday in clashes between police and demonstrators.

Yesterday, demonstrators fired slingshots and hurled petrol bombs at Bagram Airbase. Bagram also houses a prison for Afghans detained by American troops.

In a statement, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he condemned the Koran burning and had ordered a delegation to investigate the incident.

Isaf's General Allen on Tuesday immediately ordered an investigation into the incident.

"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," General Allen told TOLOnews.

The White House also apologised for improper actions of US soldiers disposing of the religious material.

Press Secretary Jay Carney said it was a "deeply unfortunate incident" that did not reflect the respect the US military has for the religious practices of the Afghan people.

The UN Special Representative in Afghanistan, Ján Kubiš, in a statement said that he met with Maulawi Qiyamuddin Kashaaf to say that he shared the concerns of the people of Afghanistan regarding this "sad mistake that hurts the religious feelings of the people."

He stressed that the United Nations deeply respects the Islamic faith, traditions and culture of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

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