Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Police say more than 2,000 angry Afghans are protesting the improper disposal of Qurans and other Islamic religious materials at an American air base north of Kabul.

The demonstrators are shouting "Die, die, foreigners!" They started gathering Tuesday morning after learning of the incident at Bagram Air Field.

Gen. John Allen, the U.S. commander of international troops in Afghanistan, has ordered an investigation into what he says was an unintentional disposal of the Islamic materials.

Local Afghan leader, Ahmad Zaki Zahed, says U.S. military officials have given him about 30 Qurans and other religious books that were used by detainees once incarcerated at the base.

He says some were burned, but others were retrieved from the trash before they were burned.