Afghanistan’s CEO Abdullah Abdullah addressed the nation on Friday afternoon and called for calm following the day’s demonstrations in Kabul city. 

At least five people are believed to have been killed after police opened fire on them in a bid to disperse the crowd. 

Abdullah said that “government supports peaceful protests” and that the shooting by security forces will be investigated. 

He also called on the organizers of the demonstration to send representatives to government to discuss their grievances. 

Protesters started marching towards the Presidential Palace from numerous areas around the city early Friday. However, once at Zanbaq Circle, which was the scene of Wednesday’s deadly bombing, police started firing off tear gas canisters. Fire trucks also sprayed the demonstrators with water. 

When this failed to disperse the crowd, police opened fire with live rounds on the protestors.

Hospital officials have confirmed five were killed, including the son of a Meshrano Jirga (Upper House of Parliament) senator. 

At least 15 people were wounded – most of whom were shot in the legs and feet, hospital officials confirmed. However, two of those killed were shot in the mouth and two were shot in the chest.

Eventually the Afghan National Army was brought in to control the situation and they managed to push back the demonstrators. 

However, a few hundred demonstrators later gathered at the Emergency Hospital and were joined by President Ashraf Ghani’s former envoy for reforms and good governance, Zia Massoud, as well as Abdul Latif Pedram, a Badakhshan MP.  

As angry the protestors took possession of the bodies from hospital authorities they continued to chant slogans including “Down with (President Ashraf) Ghani.”

Massoud meanwhile condemned the “security operation” against the protesters and said the Ghani administration was inefficient and negligent. 

He also said their demand was for the administration to be changed.