Afghans Rebell Against Burning of Koran

Two U.S. troops have been shot dead by an Afghan soldier as violence rages across the country in response to Korans being burned.

The gunmen opened fire after calls from Taliban insurgents to attack U.S. military bases in revenge attacks for U.S. troops setting fire to the Muslim holy books.

The attack took place during a protest outside a U.S. military base in the Khogyani district of Nangarhar Province.

It is the worst case of violence in three days of unrest that began when Korans – used by former Afghan detainees at Nato’s Bagram air base – were among rubbish taken to a ‘burn pit’ and recovered by Afghans working there.

The protests drew thousands of angry Afghans to the streets, chanting 'Death to America!' for the third consecutive day in violence that has killed 11 people and wounded many more. The violence could intensify during tomorrow after Friday prayers.

Two U.S. troops have been shot dead by an Afghan soldier as violence rages across the country in response to Korans being burned.

The gunmen opened fire after calls from Taliban insurgents to attack U.S. military bases in revenge attacks for U.S. troops setting fire to the Muslim holy books.

The attack took place during a protest outside a U.S. military base in the Khogyani district of Nangarhar Province.
It is the worst case of violence in three days of unrest that began when Korans – used by former Afghan detainees at Nato’s Bagram air base – were among rubbish taken to a ‘burn pit’ and recovered by Afghans working there.

The protests drew thousands of angry Afghans to the streets, chanting 'Death to America!' for the third consecutive day in violence that has killed 11 people and wounded many more. The violence could intensify during tomorrow after Friday prayers.

A number of the deaths were at Camp Phoenix, a U.S. base outside the capital Kabul, where security guards killed one person, and in Jalalabad and Logar province.

The American Embassy in Afghanistan said its staff were in 'lockdown' and travel had been suspended as thousands of people expressed fury over the burning of Islam's holy book.

U.S. commander of Nato troops in Afghanistan, General John Allen, was forced to apologise over the claims foreign troops had ‘improperly disposed’ of copies of the Koran in what has been a public relations nightmare.
The apology from the military leader was followed up by one from Obama.

The statement from President Hamid Karzai's office says the U.S. ambassador delivered the letter on Thursday.
In the letter, which is quoted in the statement, Obama expresses his 'deep regret for the reported incident' and offers his 'sincere apologies.'

According to the statement, Obama wrote: 'The error was inadvertent; I assure you that we will take the appropriate steps to avoid any recurrence, to include holding accountable those responsible.'

Last year, it was revealed the Military was under orders to burn Bibles and other Christian religious materials that might offend Afghans if they were to encounter it, and a ban on all evangelism by off duty troops was imposed. See Chick's THE CHAPLAIN.