An Afghan soldier at a US base in the country's east shot dead two foreign troops amid violent protests against the burning of copies of the Koran, military sources said today.
Protesters charged the base in Nangarhar province after the Taliban urged Afghans to target foreign bases and kill Westerners in retaliation for the burning of copies of the Koran at Bagram base north of Kabul, Nato's main base in Afghanistan.
Nato confirmed a man in Afghan army uniform killed two of its troops in the east but declined to say if the shooting was connected to the protests.
Protests against the burning drew thousands of angry Afghans to the streets, chanting "Death to America!" for the third consecutive day in violence that has killed 11 people and wounded many more.
The Taliban urged Afghans to target foreign military bases and kill Westerners in retaliation on Tuesday, later directing its plea to the security forces, calling on them to "turn their guns on the foreign infidel invaders," it said on its website.
Afghan president Hamid Karzai said he received a "deep apology" from US counterpart Barack Obama today, adding Mr Obama described the Koran burning incident as "an accident".
Muslims consider the Koran the literal word of God and treat each book with deep reverence. Desecration is considered one of the worst forms of blasphemy.
Reuters