AFP - Four people were killed and 32 wounded Saturday in Kandahar (southern Afghanistan) during a demonstration against the recent book burning of a Quran in the U.S. in the aftermath of a deadly attack against the UN in north at a similar event, according to a doctor.
"Four bodies were brought to the hospital.Thirty-two people wounded by bullets or stones, were admitted to our hospital, "he told AFP Dr. Abdul QAYOUM Pukhla, doctor at Mirwais hospital in Kandahar.
The AFP correspondent in Kandahar had previously seen two bodies, worn by men who described themselves as protesters, but did not elaborate on the identity of the dead or the circumstances of their deaths.
The protesters, now several thousand, were divided into several groups around Kandahar, the largest city in southern Afghanistan and former capital of the Taliban regime, where heavy gunfire continued to be heard, "said correspondent AFP.
One group headed for the provincial governor's offices, the other that the local offices of the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The two groups were blocked for an hour for the police, quite far from the complex, UNAM.
The police, massively deployed, now banned vehicles and pedestrians to circulate, including journalists.
From the roof of a building, he saw smoke rising from several parts of the city.
According to the AFP correspondent, a large crowd is coming from the suburbs (well, any) of the city, former capital of the Taliban regime, and attempts to head downtown.
In town, the protesters marched chanting "Death to America" and "Death to (Hamid) Karzai," the Afghan president."They have insulted our Quran," shouted one of them.
An Afghan journalist was attacked by protesters, who hit him and broke his camera, according to the AFP correspondent.
"Around 9:00 (4:30 GMT) a peaceful demonstration against the burning of the Koran in the United States began.Destructive elements have infiltrated the crowd and tried to create violence, "he told AFP Zalmai Ayoubi, spokesman of provincial authorities.
"The situation is under control of the police," he said.
Seven employees of foreign UN, four Nepalese and three Europeans, were killed Friday in the attack on UN offices in Mazar-I-Sharif, the largest city in northern Afghanistan, during a demonstration against the recent public burning of the Koran by American fundamentalist pastor.
The attack was the deadliest against the UN in Afghanistan since the invasion of that country by an international coalition in late 2001 to overthrow the Taliban regime.
Five Afghan demonstrators were also killed, according to the governor of Balkh province, including Mazar-i-Sharif is the capital.
