Afghanistan Quran Desecration Protests Continue for Third Day

February 23, 2012 from Euronews

In a third day of violence in Afghanistan sparked by the burning of Qurans, another five people have been killed. This brings the total number of dead to 14 since protests began. President Hamid Karzai is appealing for calm, as demonstrations take place in Kabul, Bagram and Jalalabad. However, the Taliban is calling on people to target military bases and kill foreigners. In a demonstration in eastern Nangarhar province, an Afghan soldier started shooting at NATO soldiers, according to reports from local officials and western military sources.

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Afghanistan

Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked sovereign state forming part of South Asia, Central Asia, and to some extent Western Asia. It has a population of around 30 million inhabiting an area of approximately 647,500 km², making it the 42nd ... Explore this topic

Quran desecration

The term "Quran desecration" is defined as insulting the Quran - What Muslims believe to be the literal word of God, in its original Arabic form - by defiling or defacing copies. Intentionally insulting the Quran is regarded by Muslims as blasphemous. Most traditional schools ... Explore this topic

Protest

An act of defiance or objection by an individual or group of people. Protests can take many forms: peaceful or violent, direct or indirect, large or small. Protests in the news are often political in nature, as groups of citizens voice their disagreement or dissatisfaction. Pr... Explore this topic

Taliban

The Taliban, alternative spelling Taleban, is an Islamic fundamentalist political movement in Afghanistan. It spread into Afghanistan and formed a government, ruling as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from September 1996 until December 2001, with Kandahar as the capital. Ho... Explore this topic

Hamid Karzai

Hamid Karzai GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 22 December 2001. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001. During the December 2001 International Conference on Afghanistan in Germany, Karza... Explore this topic

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. The organization constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree... Explore this topic

Kabul

Kabul, also spelled Cabool, Caubul, Kabol, or Cabul, mostly in historical contexts, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan. According to a 2012 estimate, the population of the city... Explore this topic

Bagram

Bagram, founded as Alexandria on the Caucasus and known in medieval times as Kapisa, is a small town and seat in Bagram District in Parwan Province of Afghanistan, about 60 kilometers north of the capital Kabul. It is the site of an ancient city located at the junction of the ... Explore this topic

Jalalabad

Jalalabad, formerly called Adina Pour as documented by the 7th century Hsüan-tsang, is a city in eastern Afghanistan. Located at the junction of the Kabul River and Kunar River near the Laghman valley, Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province. It is linked by approximate... Explore this topic

Quran

The Quran is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims believe to be the verbatim word of God. It is widely regarded as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language. Muslims believe the Quran to be verbally revealed through angel Gabriel from God to Muhammad ... Explore this topic

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