MAIDAN SHAHR (PAN, hundreds of protestors on Saturday took to the streets in the central province of Maidan Wardak, officials said.
The demonstration started at about 8 am in the Shash Qala village of the Syedabad district, alleging troops on Wednesday torched a medical store, a private car and also sat on copies of the Holy Quran in Danduki village of the district.
Protesters chanted slogans “Down America, Long life Islam and Mujiheedin,” and burned tyres and blocked the Kabul-Kandahar highway.
“People of Danduki village saw US soldiers sitting on copies of Holy Quran,” one of the protesters, Abdullah, told Pajhwok Afghan News, adding soldiers also set fire to a private medical store and a car – provoking people in the area to demonstrate.
The protesters demand immediate withdrawal of foreign forces from the area.
Syedabad district chief Dr. Fazal Karim Muslim said foreign soldiers burned a pharmacy in the area because they treated militants.
Meanwhile, in Kabul, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) denied their soldiers were involved in operations in the populated areas on Wednesday.
“According to operational reporting, ISAF forces were involved in two incidents in Sayyidabad district on May 23rd,” ISAF said to a query from Pajhwok.
In the first incident, ISAF forces provided MEDEVAC (emergency medical evacuation) assistance to Afghan National Army troops after they were attacked by insurgents, while in the second, an ISAF vehicle hit an improvised explosives device (IED) planted by militants, but no casualties.
“There are no reports that either incident involved ISAF caused destruction of civilian property, or ISAF involvement in disrespecting of religious sites or documents,” said ISAF.
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