Protest over alleged killing of civilians by coalition forces
(10 May 2008) SHOTLIST 1. Wide of crowds protesting against a US forces raid in Jalalabad 2. Cutaway of damaged road sign 3. Protesters chanting anti government slogans 4. Protesters marching 5. Protesters picking up rocks 6. Wide of police firing on protestors on bridge 7. Various of police on scene 8. Wide of protesters throwing stones at police 9. Policemen at the scene 10. SOUNDBITE: (Pashto) Abdul Rahman, Protester: "They are killing us and when you ask them they will respond they have killed terrorists, we are all civilians and villagers here there is no terrorist or any other people. They are just against Muslims, that is why these infidels are here they don't have any other target. We don't want to hear the name of terrorists again there is no terrorist here at all." 11. Wide of villagers standing around a coffin of a local resident who they say was killed in the US forces raid 12. Close-up of dead man's face 13. SOUNDBITE: (Pashto) Sayed Mohammad, Protester: "If Hamid Karzai is truly the leader of Afghanistan, if he is truly the president of this country then he should himself decide. Afghanistan has its own army and the army should do the military operations themselves." 14. Wide of scene with bullet casings in foreground STORYLINE: Dozens of protesters blocked a road on Saturday in eastern Afghanistan, claiming that US-led coalition forces killed three civilians. Villagers from the area carried the three bodies to a major highway during the protest, on which police allegedly opened fire, killing one and wounding three. One protester, Abdul Rahman, told AP Television that "they are all civilians and villagers here there is no terrorist or any other people. They (coalition forces) are just against Muslims, that is why these infidels are here they don't have any other target. We don't want to hear the name of terrorists again there is no terrorist here at all." Another protester, Sayed Mohammad, said it was time for the Afghan President Hamid Karzai to take control of military operations with the Afghan army. The coalition said its troops were attacked while searching compounds on Friday in the Shinwar district of Nangarhar province. Several militants were killed and nine insurgents were arrested, it said in a statement on Saturday. The coalition said the operation was targeting a foreign fighter network and that militants in the area had recently attacked coalition forces. The troops destroyed several automatic rifles, grenades and ammunition discovered in the compounds. Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary said the government is investigating the villagers' claims. The Afghan government has pleaded with coalition forces to coordinate more closely to avoid civilian casualties, but foreign troops says insurgents hide in villages, using civilians as human shields. More than 1,200 people, mostly militants, have died so far this year in insurgency-related violence in Afghanistan, according to an Associated Press count. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
