Kabul: Hundreds of Afghans poured onto
the streets of Kabul today to protest against plans --
cancelled days ago -- by a US church to burn copies of the
Quran, officials and witnesses said.
The demonstrators threw rocks at anti-riot police
after the officers prevented them from marching towards the
city centre, Zemarai Bashary, an interior ministry spokesman
said.
The protesters shouted anti-US slogans and set fire
to tyres to block a road. Gunshots could be heard from the
area, an AFP photographer said.
"The police are in control. They have fired into
the air to control the mob," Bashary told AFP.
Two people died in similar protests at the weekend
after the Dove World Outreach Centre in Florida threatened to
burn Qurans to mark the anniversary of the September 9/11
attacks on New York and Washington in 2001.
Pastor Terry Jones, leader of the tiny church,
cancelled the plans after enormous pressure from world leaders
including US President Barack Obama.
PTI
