Afghans protest over troops' Quran desecration

Six people were hurt when Afghan police opened fire on demonstrators who claimed U.S. troops had desecrated the Holy Quran during a raid on a mosque, as Amnesty International urged the importance of prosecuting the troops who cause civilian deaths.

The incident took place in Deh Khodaidad village in Ghazni, southwest of the capital, Kabul.

Police said a government team had been sent to investigate claims that foreign troops had raided the mosque, rounded up worshippers and tore apart copies of the Holy Quran on Thursday night.

A spokesman for the U.S. military said he was aware of a "peaceful protest". Afghan police said any injuries had been caused by "saboteurs" in the crowd.

Civilian casualties

Afghanistan has seen a series of violent protests in recent years over reports of insults to Islam.

More than 74,000 foreign troops operate under NATO and U.S. military's command in Afghanistan, fighting the al-Qaeda-backed Taliban insurgency.

In the meantime, Amnesty International said that as the U.S. and its allies increase the numbers of troops in Afghanistan, they have to ensure that soldiers who cause civilian deaths or violate laws while hunting the Taliban are prosecuted.

Civilian casualties and raids on Afghan houses by foreign forces during anti-militant raids are a sensitive issue and have been a main source of tension between foreign troops and the Afghan government.

The issue has sapped support for the government and for the presence of foreign forces, more than seven years on since U.S.-led troops overthrew the Taliban in an invasion.

"Millions of Afghans face violence and insecurity worse than at any period since 2001," Amnesty said in a report on Friday.

"...Some 40 percent (795) civilian casualties (in 2008) were due to operations by international and Afghan security forces - a 30 percent increase from 559 reported in 2007," it said.

Millions of Afghans face violence and insecurity worse than at any period since 2001

Amnesty International report

Most of the casualties were caused by foreign forces' air strikes or raids on Afghan homes by international and national troops, it said.

Amnesty said the international military forces' lack of accountability and their ad hoc investigation and compensation programs had aggravated the situation.

It said with the increase in troop numbers, which will bring the size of foreign forces to over 90,000 this year, the U.S. and its allies needed to ensure that civilian casualties and property damage due to raids were investigated promptly and impartially.

It said personnel found to have violated laws of war or international human rights laws had to be brought to justice.

The U.S. and its allies needed to ensure that civilian casualties and property damage due to raids were investigated promptly and impartially

Amnesty International report