Obama condemns Quran burning bigotry

President Barack Obama on Saturday condemned the burning of an American pastor of the Koran, after violent protests against what he called an act of "intolerance and bigotry extreme" left 17 dead in Afghanistan.

Obama also reiterated his condemnation of the excessive attacks by demonstrators as "an affront to decency and human dignity." "No religion condones the killing and beheading of innocent people, and there is no justification for such a disgraceful and deplorable act, "he added.

Ten people died amid fresh protests that began in the center of the main town in southern Kandahar and dissemination as police clashed with crowds on Saturday, a day after seven members of UN staff were killed in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, the worst attack on the world body in the country since the 2001 invasion.

"The desecration of any holy text, including the Koran, is an act of extreme intolerance and bigotry," Obama said in a statement honoring those killed in the attacks.

Kandahar is the spiritual center of the Taliban, who fought an insurgency against the government of President Hamid Karzai in Kabul and its Western allies since they were driven out by US-led invasion.

"Death to America" ​​and "Death to Karzai," chanted the demonstrators. "They have insulted our Quran," shouted one.