An Afghan official says two protesters have died in an exchange of gunfire during a riot outside an American base in eastern Afghanistan that also wounded two NATO troops.

The deaths raise to five the number of Afghans killed around the country during Thursday's protests over this week's Quran burnings at a U.S. base.

Governor Haji Mohammad Hassan says NATO and Afghan troops were firing in the air to disperse hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the base in Khogyani district in eastern Nangahar province.

Hassan says during the rioting, one man in an Afghan army uniform shot at NATO troops and seriously wounded two of them.

Earlier, Afghan police shot and killed three protesters during two demonstrations in the north and south of the country.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) _ Afghan police have shot and killed three protesters in two separate incidents in the north and south of the country where riots broke out during demonstrations over this week's Quran burnings incident.

The police say one protester was fatally shot and four people were wounded, including two police officers, when security forces and some protesters exchanged gunfire during a riot on Thursday outside the police headquarters in the northern province of Baghlan.

Police say another two protesters were killed and six were wounded in another exchange of gunfire during a protest in southern Uruzgan province.