Ahlul Bayt News Agency ; KABUL, Afghanistan — Police fired warning shots to disperse hundreds of stone-hurling Afghans yesterday in the latest in a series of protests against Koran burning in the United States.
At least 35 police officers and 10 protesters were wounded, said Interior Ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary. Hospital officials said two people had gunshot wounds, apparently from ricocheting bullets.
The topic of Koran burning has stirred outrage among millions of Muslims and others worldwide after a small American church in Florida threatened to destroy the holy book to mark the anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Although that church backed down, several copycat burnings were posted on the Internet and broadcast in the Muslim world.
Up to 800 protesters gathered at a square on the outskirts of the capital, Kabul, chanting “Death to America’’ and listening to fiery speeches from Muslim clerics demanding the ouster of the Afghan government and calling for foreign troops to leave.
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