Koran-Burning Protests Rage for a 4th Day

Gunfire heard as thousands take to streets in Kabul
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 24, 2012 7:59 AM CST
Koran-Burning Protests Rage for a 4th Day
An Afghan policeman uses his baton to disperse demonstrators during a protest against Koran desecration in Kabul on February 24, 2012.   (Getty Images)

Protesters are rallying once again to decry the burning of Korans at Bagram, with more shouts of "death to America"—and deaths—throughout the country. The New York Times reports that gunfire was audible as demonstrators assembled at a Kabul mosque following Friday prayers. Another 4,000 people carrying sticks and rocks moved toward the center of the city; some waved Taliban flags and had a jihadist slogan written on their clothes: "I sacrifice myself."

Demonstrations occurred in at least six more provinces throughout Afghanistan, and Reuters reports that nine more were killed today: seven in the western province of Herat, and two in Khost in the east. Meanwhile, Germany says it has withdrawn troops from an outpost in northern Afghanistan amid the protests. The German military had planned to shutter its base in the Taloqan area in late March, but the 50 remaining soldiers have been transferred out of the base in light of the demonstrations, reports the AP. And at home, Obama is facing GOP criticism for his apology. (More Afghanistan stories.)

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