PAN, December 9, 2009
Thousands of Afghan students protest against US forces
Hundreds of villagers on Tuesday brought the bodies to Mehtarlam and placed them in front of the Governor's House.
Javed Hamim Kakar
KABUL: Thousands of university students protesting against US forces in eastern Nangarhar province blocked the Kabul-Jalalabad Highway for hours on Wednesday.
The demonstration was staged by Nangarhar University students in Daronta district to denounce the US forces' operation in Laghman province, where 15 civilians were allegedly killed.
The operation in the village of Armal on the outskirts of Mehtarlam triggered a violent protest. Hundreds of villagers on Tuesday brought the bodies to Mehtarlam and placed them in front of the Governor's House. One person was killed when ANA soldiers opened fire at the protesters.
Local officials blamed the US Special Forces for conducting the operation, but the NATO-led ISAF insisted only militants were killed in the offensive.
President Hamid Karzai has ordered a thorough probe into the killings and directed the Ministry of Interior to submit a report in this regard.
http://www.rawa.org/temp/runews/2009/12/09/thousands-of-afghan-students-protest-against-us-forces.htmlDARONTA, Dec 9, 2009: Students of Nangarhar University
burn a US flag during a protest demonstration against
US forces for killing civilians in an operation in
neighboring Laghman province. Thousands of protesting
students blocked the Kabul-Jalalabad Highway for several
hours. (Photo: PAJHWOK/Abdull Moheed Hashimi)