The Hindu : International : Protests after Herat Governor's ouster

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Monday, Sep 13, 2004

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International

Protests after Herat Governor's ouster

KABUL, SEPT. 12. Demonstrators stormed U.N. compounds and stoned U.S. soldiers in a tense western Afghan city, officials said on Sunday, a day after the Government sacked its warlord Governor.

About a dozen people were reported injured — most with bullet wounds — as security forces tried to keep order in Herat following the replacement of the Governor, Ismail Khan. The office of one international aid group was also ransacked.

The violence was a challenge to U.S.-backed interim leader, Hamid Karzai, who ordered Mr. Khan's removal and has sent more than 1,000 Western-trained national army soldiers and police to Herat ahead of the October 9 presidential elections.

Mr. Karzai condemned the rioters, saying they were damaging Afghanistan's fragile peace process.

``That is not what this country wants, and that is not what the people of Herat want,'' Mr. Karzai told reporters in the capital, 580 km to the east. ``We will deal with that strongly.''

Hundreds of people gathered outside the city headquarters of the United Nations chanting slogans against U.S. troops and the Government, witnesses said.

Demonstrators broke through the gate at about noon, setting at least one vehicle alight and sending U.N. staff scuttling into their onsite bunker, U.N. spokesman Manoel de Almeida e Silva said.

The Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman, Latfullah Mashal, said windows were broken and fires started around two U.N. compounds and the office of the Afghan human rights commission.

Police and soldiers trying to control the crowd fired warning shots but still wounded as many as 10 people, Mr. Mashal said.

Mr. Mashal maintained that the soldiers had only fired into the air. — AP

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