Five expired in second day of Afghan protests

KANDAHAR: At least five people were expired in southern Afghan city of Kandahar, a second day of violent demonstrations during the burning of the Koran by an American minister, a health official and government spokesman said Saturday.

Four corpses transported to a hospital in the city of Kandahar, the spiritual center of the Taliban showed signs they had been beaten and hit with stones, said Abdul Qayum Pukhla, head of health for the province.

A band of about 150 men who took to the streets to denounce the burning of tires burned holy books, demolished shops and attacked a photographer, witnesses said.

The journalist was hit in the head and took his camera from him and smashed by protesters who have discussed the expiring.

The spokesman for the governor of Kandahar province said the protest was organized by the Taliban who have used the burning incident as an excuse to incite violence in a city where their scope was limited by an aggressive military campaign led by NATO.

"The manifestation of Kandahar was planned by insurgents to take advantage of the situation and create insecurity," said Zalmay Ayoubi, spokesman for the governor of Kandahar province. He put the toll at five and said 46 people were wounded.

Other events are possible through volatile and deeply religious in Afghanistan, where anti-Western sentiment has been fueled for years by civilian casualties.

About 1000 people demonstrated peacefully in the northern province of Tahar said Shah Jahan Noori, provincial police chief.