2012 Afghanistan Quran burning protests: Difference between revisions

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A series of protests {{#ifexpr:{{#time:Ym}}<201204| of varying levels of violence have recently taken place|took place early {{#ifexpr:{{#time:Y}}=2012|this year|in 2012}}}} in response to the [[Quran desecration|burning of Islamic religious material]] by soldiers from the United States of America [[Bagram Airfield|Bagram Air Base]] in [[Afghanistan]]. International condemnation {{Citation needed|date=March 2012}} followed the burning of copies of the Quran, on 22 February 2012, from the library that is used by inmates at the bases detention facility. The protests included domestic riots which caused at least 41 deaths and at least 270 injuries.<ref name=stripes/><ref name=Quinn/>
A series of protests {{#ifexpr:{{#time:Ym}}<201204| of varying levels of violence have recently taken place|took place early {{#ifexpr:{{#time:Y}}=2012|this year|in 2012}}}} in response to the [[Quran desecration|burning of Islamic religious material]] by soldiers from the United States of America [[Bagram Airfield|Bagram Air Base]] in [[Afghanistan]]. International condemnation<ref>http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=9116</ref> followed the burning of copies of the Quran, on 22 February 2012, from the library that is used by inmates at the bases detention facility. The protests included domestic riots which caused at least 41 deaths and at least 270 injuries.<ref name=stripes/><ref name=Quinn/>


== Background ==
== Background ==
Line 30: Line 30:


== Protests and violence ==
== Protests and violence ==
Muslims responded with nationwide protests, which turned into [[riots]].<ref name=theblaze>[http://www.theblaze.com/stories/update-5-killed-in-violent-riots-over-koran-burning-on-u-s-air-base-in-afghanistan/ 5 Killed in Violent Riots Over Koran Burning on U.S. Air Base in Afghanistan]</ref><ref>[http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/world/obama-apologizes-as-afghan-quran-protests-rage-2194162.html Obama apologizes as Afghan Quran protests rage]</ref><ref>[http://www.thespec.com/news/world/article/675270--riots-over-koran-burning-end-in-death-in-afghanistan Riots over Koran burning end in death in Afghanistan]</ref><ref name=theblaze/> Protesters expressed anti-American sentiments, and also dissatisfaction with the Afghanistan president, with the media reporting chants such as “Death to America, death to Obama, death to Karzai.”<ref>[http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,15759255,00.html?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf Anti-US protests rage on in Afghanistan]</ref> Despite apologies from US President [[Barack Obama]] and US-ISAF commander [[John R. Allen]], demonstrators attacked a French{{Citation needed|date=March 2012}}, Norwegian{{Citation needed|date=March 2012}} and US base, as thousands more besieged ISAF bases at [[Mihtarlam]]{{Citation needed|date=March 2012}} and [[Kapisa]]{{Citation needed|date=March 2012}}.<ref name="NY Daily">{{cite news|last=Shahid|first=Aliyah|title=Newt Gingrich rips President Obama’s apology to Afghanistan’s Hamid Karzai over Koran burnings|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/election-2012/newt-gingrich-rips-president-obama-apology-afghanistan-hamid-karzai-koran-burnings-article-1.1027945|accessdate=26 February 2012|newspaper=New York Daily News|date=24 February 2012}}</ref> A post on [[CBS News]] read:{{quote|''Most of the rioting against the United States, however, has taken place not in the [[Pashtunistan|Pashtun areas]] where the Taliban have influence, but in Kabul, the capital, a [[Tajik people|Tajik]] city in the north... Most of the anger against U.S. comes from Tajiks: The second largest [[ethnic groups in Afghanistan|ethnic group in Afghanistan]], our allies who headed the [[Northern Alliance]]. Why are they burning the American flag? Why do they, when their dogs lose in their dog fights, call them Americans? ... The Ministry of the Interior, in Kabul, is controlled by Tajiks of the Northern Alliance. The two U.S. officers who died last week were probably murdered by a former ally.''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-57390689-503543/u.s-talks-with-taliban-unsettle-the-streets-of-kabul/ |title=U.S. talks with Taliban unsettle the streets of Kabul |publisher=[[CBS News]]|date=March 5, 2012|accessdate=March 5, 2012}}</ref>|Jere Van Dyk|CBS News consultant}}
Muslims responded with nationwide protests, which turned into [[riots]].<ref name=theblaze>[http://www.theblaze.com/stories/update-5-killed-in-violent-riots-over-koran-burning-on-u-s-air-base-in-afghanistan/ 5 Killed in Violent Riots Over Koran Burning on U.S. Air Base in Afghanistan]</ref><ref>[http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/world/obama-apologizes-as-afghan-quran-protests-rage-2194162.html Obama apologizes as Afghan Quran protests rage]</ref><ref>[http://www.thespec.com/news/world/article/675270--riots-over-koran-burning-end-in-death-in-afghanistan Riots over Koran burning end in death in Afghanistan]</ref><ref name=theblaze/> Protesters expressed anti-American sentiments, and also dissatisfaction with the Afghanistan president, with the media reporting chants such as “Death to America, death to Obama, death to Karzai.”<ref>[http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,15759255,00.html?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf Anti-US protests rage on in Afghanistan]</ref> Despite apologies from US President [[Barack Obama]] and US-ISAF commander [[John R. Allen]], demonstrators attacked a French, Norwegian and US bases, including those at [[Mihtarlam]] and [[Kapisa]]<ref>http://tribune.com.pk/story/341172/obama-apologises-over-quran-burning/</ref>.<ref name="NY Daily">{{cite news|last=Shahid|first=Aliyah|title=Newt Gingrich rips President Obama’s apology to Afghanistan’s Hamid Karzai over Koran burnings|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/election-2012/newt-gingrich-rips-president-obama-apology-afghanistan-hamid-karzai-koran-burnings-article-1.1027945|accessdate=26 February 2012|newspaper=New York Daily News|date=24 February 2012}}</ref> A post on [[CBS News]] read:{{quote|''Most of the rioting against the United States, however, has taken place not in the [[Pashtunistan|Pashtun areas]] where the Taliban have influence, but in Kabul, the capital, a [[Tajik people|Tajik]] city in the north... Most of the anger against U.S. comes from Tajiks: The second largest [[ethnic groups in Afghanistan|ethnic group in Afghanistan]], our allies who headed the [[Northern Alliance]]. Why are they burning the American flag? Why do they, when their dogs lose in their dog fights, call them Americans? ... The Ministry of the Interior, in Kabul, is controlled by Tajiks of the Northern Alliance. The two U.S. officers who died last week were probably murdered by a former ally.''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-57390689-503543/u.s-talks-with-taliban-unsettle-the-streets-of-kabul/ |title=U.S. talks with Taliban unsettle the streets of Kabul |publisher=[[CBS News]]|date=March 5, 2012|accessdate=March 5, 2012}}</ref>|Jere Van Dyk|CBS News consultant}}


Twenty-three people were reported killed from the three days of protesting and riots, including four members of the [[United States armed forces]],<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/24/us-afghanistan-korans-idUSTRE81K09T20120224 Twelve killed in protests across Afghanistan]</ref> two of which resulted after someone in the uniform of the [[Afghan National Security Forces]]<ref name="vsun"/> (ANSF) turned their weapons on them; over 55 others were also wounded.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/obama-forced-to-apologise-to-karzai-for-koran-burnings-in-afghanistan/story-e6frg6so-1226280166800 Obama forced to apologise to Karzai for Koran burnings in Afghanistan]</ref> John Allen visited the base in Nangarhar and urged forces under his command not to seek retribution.<ref name="stripes"/> On 25 February, the [[Taliban]] claimed responsibility for the deaths of four American military personel.<ref>{{cite news|last=Riechmann|first=Deb|title=Afghan protesters angry over Quran burnings attack US base with grenades|url=http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/0d3071dd5e5f44b985214195d784240b/AS--Afghanistan/|accessdate=26 February 2012|newspaper=Daily Reporter|date=26 February 2012|agency=The Associated Press}}</ref> Two of the other dead were high-ranking US military advisors working inside the [[Ministry of the Interior (Afghanistan)|Afghan Interior Ministry]] in [[Kabul]]. The Taliban asserted that one of its operatives was assisted by someone to get into the ministry and to the Americans.<ref>{{cite news|title=2 American officers killed in Afghan ministry|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/25/world/asia/afghanistan-americans-killed/index.html?hpt=hp_t1|accessdate=25 February 2012|newspaper=CNN|date=25 February 2012|author=Nick Paton Walsh|author2=Masoud Popalzai}}</ref> Commander Allen called the shooting of the two senior US officers at the Ministry of Interior "cowardly".<ref name=KUNA/>
Twenty-three people were reported killed from the three days of protesting and riots, including four members of the [[United States armed forces]],<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/24/us-afghanistan-korans-idUSTRE81K09T20120224 Twelve killed in protests across Afghanistan]</ref> two of which resulted after someone in the uniform of the [[Afghan National Security Forces]]<ref name="vsun"/> (ANSF) turned their weapons on them; over 55 others were also wounded.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/obama-forced-to-apologise-to-karzai-for-koran-burnings-in-afghanistan/story-e6frg6so-1226280166800 Obama forced to apologise to Karzai for Koran burnings in Afghanistan]</ref> John Allen visited the base in Nangarhar and urged forces under his command not to seek retribution.<ref name="stripes"/> On 25 February, the [[Taliban]] claimed responsibility for the deaths of four American military personel.<ref>{{cite news|last=Riechmann|first=Deb|title=Afghan protesters angry over Quran burnings attack US base with grenades|url=http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/0d3071dd5e5f44b985214195d784240b/AS--Afghanistan/|accessdate=26 February 2012|newspaper=Daily Reporter|date=26 February 2012|agency=The Associated Press}}</ref> Two of the other dead were high-ranking US military advisors working inside the [[Ministry of the Interior (Afghanistan)|Afghan Interior Ministry]] in [[Kabul]]. The Taliban asserted that one of its operatives was assisted by someone to get into the ministry and to the Americans.<ref>{{cite news|title=2 American officers killed in Afghan ministry|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/25/world/asia/afghanistan-americans-killed/index.html?hpt=hp_t1|accessdate=25 February 2012|newspaper=CNN|date=25 February 2012|author=Nick Paton Walsh|author2=Masoud Popalzai}}</ref> Commander Allen called the shooting of the two senior US officers at the Ministry of Interior "cowardly".<ref name=KUNA/>

Revision as of 04:42, 12 March 2012

2012 Afghanistan Quran burning protests
Part of War in Afghanistan
Bagram Airfield, where the Quran burnings took place.
Date22 February 2012 (2012-02-22)[1] – present
Location
 Afghanistan

34°56′46″N 69°15′54″E / 34.94611°N 69.26500°E / 34.94611; 69.26500
Caused byQuran desecration
MethodsDemonstrations, riots and assassinations
StatusOngoing
Casualties and losses
Deaths: 41[2]
Injuries: At least 270[3]

A series of protests took place early in 2012 in response to the burning of Islamic religious material by soldiers from the United States of America Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. International condemnation[4] followed the burning of copies of the Quran, on 22 February 2012, from the library that is used by inmates at the bases detention facility. The protests included domestic riots which caused at least 41 deaths and at least 270 injuries.[5][3]

Background

Bagram Airfield is one of the largest American military bases in Afghanistan, about 40 kilometres (25 mi) northeast of the Afghan capital Kabul.[6] The Parwan Detention Facility is located at the base which houses hundreds of Taliban, al Qaeda and other captured militants.

On 22 February 2012, about five or six[3] members of the United States armed forces[7][8] stationed at the base dropped a number of Islamic religious material into an incinerator to be burned. It included copies of the Quran, which is the central religious text of Islam. Several Afghan garbage collectors working at the base reported finding a number of charred books and quickly notified an Afghan National Army commander.[3] All 1,652 except 4 copies of the Quran (Koran) were rescued from being burned.[9]

John R. Allen, commander of ISAF and US forces in Afghanistan,[5] said the books were taken from the library that is used by inmates at the detention facility. The religious material were removed from the library due to the presence of "extremist inscriptions" on them, further noting "an appearance that these documents were being used to facilitate extremist communications."[10]

Protests and violence

Muslims responded with nationwide protests, which turned into riots.[11][12][13][11] Protesters expressed anti-American sentiments, and also dissatisfaction with the Afghanistan president, with the media reporting chants such as “Death to America, death to Obama, death to Karzai.”[14] Despite apologies from US President Barack Obama and US-ISAF commander John R. Allen, demonstrators attacked a French, Norwegian and US bases, including those at Mihtarlam and Kapisa[15].[16] A post on CBS News read:

Most of the rioting against the United States, however, has taken place not in the Pashtun areas where the Taliban have influence, but in Kabul, the capital, a Tajik city in the north... Most of the anger against U.S. comes from Tajiks: The second largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, our allies who headed the Northern Alliance. Why are they burning the American flag? Why do they, when their dogs lose in their dog fights, call them Americans? ... The Ministry of the Interior, in Kabul, is controlled by Tajiks of the Northern Alliance. The two U.S. officers who died last week were probably murdered by a former ally.[17]

— Jere Van Dyk, CBS News consultant

Twenty-three people were reported killed from the three days of protesting and riots, including four members of the United States armed forces,[18] two of which resulted after someone in the uniform of the Afghan National Security Forces[19] (ANSF) turned their weapons on them; over 55 others were also wounded.[20] John Allen visited the base in Nangarhar and urged forces under his command not to seek retribution.[5] On 25 February, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the deaths of four American military personel.[21] Two of the other dead were high-ranking US military advisors working inside the Afghan Interior Ministry in Kabul. The Taliban asserted that one of its operatives was assisted by someone to get into the ministry and to the Americans.[22] Commander Allen called the shooting of the two senior US officers at the Ministry of Interior "cowardly".[23]

Protests on 26 February in northern Kunduz Province left one protester dead, seven US military personnel injured by a grenade, and 16 other protesters injured in an attack on the police chief's office with grenades, pistols, knives, sticks, and stones.[24] The protestors also tried to burn down the UN building.[10] On the morning of 27 February a suicide car bomb attack at the entrance to Jalalabad Airport left nine people dead and 12 others wounded. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack as "revenge" for the desecrations of Quran.[25]

Reactions

Domestic
  •  Afghanistan – Afghan President Hamid Karzai called for "dialogue and calm" in response to the Quran burnings and subsequent protests.[26] Aimal Faizi, Karzai's spokesperson, spoke of the incidents at Bagram that: "The sooner you turn over the Bagram prison to Afghan authorities the sooner we will avoid such incidents".[27]
  • Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak called his US counterpart Leon Panetta to apologise for what he called the "wrongful deaths" of the US personnel and offered his condolences to their families.[28]
  • Minister of the Interior Bismillah Khan Mohammadi also offered his condolences and apologies to the families of the US victims.[28]
  • Aziz Raf'ie from the Afghanistan Civil Society said "The political consequences are much worse than the crime itself.”[29]
  • Sher Mohammad Karimi, the Chief of Army Staff of the Afghan National Army, spoke at the ISAF army base where two US soldiers were killed in which he applauded ISAF soldiers, thanking them for their "sacrifices for humanity, not just the Afghan people."[30] Later, he said the Quran buring incident advanced the Taliban's cause and any repeat of similar "negligence" by Western forces would be disastrous; "The enemy (Taliban) will enlarge it and make use of it in such a way to instigate everybody," Karimi said in an interview.[31]
  • Dr. Mahmood Khan, an MP representing Kandahar province[33], said that "other countries" are sending people into his country to incite violence.[5]
  • Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai, the chairman of the Afghanistan National Front political party, stated: "It's not for the first time that foreigners had desecrated the Quran... As long as foreign troops remain in Afghanistan, peace will elude the country." The party's spokesman explained that "the presence of foreign troops cannot bring peace to the country, but makes the situation even worse."[34]
  • Davood Moradian, a former Karzai adviser and an assistant professor of political science at the American University of Afghanistan said that: "They are coming here and misusing the demonstrations for propaganda. You have small groups of people here who skillfully influence the Afghans and can mobilise protests with several thousand people... They are very good at tapping into emotions."[5] Zubair Babakarkhail explains that: "Afghan officials have long blamed elements within Pakistan, where protests over the Quran burning had spread by Friday, for funding and directing the Taliban-led insurgency that has plagued Afghanistan for more than a decade."[5]
  • The Taliban – According to the Agence France-Presse, the Taliban said in a statement that: "You should bring the invading forces military bases under your brave attack, their military convoys, kill them, capture them, beat them, and teach them a lesson that they will never again dare to insult the Holy Koran."[19]
Supranational bodies
  • NATO ISAF – ISAF commander John R. Allen said: "When we learned of these actions [troops burning the Quran], we immediately intervened and stopped them. The materials recovered will be properly handled by [the] appropriate religious authorities ... We are thoroughly investigating the incident and we are taking steps to ensure this does not ever happen again. I assure you – I promise you – this was not intentional in any way."[35]
On 24 February the German Army announced that 50 soldiers would leave a military base in Taloqan after a group of peaceful protesters gathered outside the base.[36]
States
  •  United States – On 23 February, President Barack Obama apologized to Afghan President Hamid Karzai over the mishandling of copies of the Quran to help stem the violent demonstrations.[39] He also added that the act was "inadvertent" with a vow to hold the perpetrators responsible for their actions.[16] In response to criticism of Obama's apology, White House spokesman Jay Carney said: "It is wholly appropriate, given the sensitivities to this issue, the understandable sensitivities. His primary concern as commander in chief is the safety of the American men and women in Afghanistan, of our military and civilian personnel there. And it was absolutely the right thing to do."[16]
    • During campaigning for the Republican nomination for the presidential election, prospective candidate Newt Gingrich called Obama's apology to Karzai "astonishing". He added that: "There seems to be nothing that radical Islamists can do to get Barack Obama's attention in a negative way and he is consistently apologising to people who do not deserve the apology of the President of the United States period. It is Hamid Karzai who owes the American people an apology, not the other way around. This destructive double standard whereby the United States and its democratic allies refuse to hold accountable leaders who tolerate systematic violence and oppression in their borders must come to an end."
    • Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin added that "Obama apologises for inadvertent Koran burning; now the US trained and protected Afghan Army can apologise for killing our soldiers yesterday."[16]

References

  1. ^ "9 killed in Quran burning protests in Afghanistan". China Daily. 25 February 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  2. ^ Gunmen kill NATO forces in southern Afghanistan
  3. ^ a b c d Official: Mistakes led to Afghan Quran burnings
  4. ^ http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=9116
  5. ^ a b c d e f Martin Kuz. "Afghanistan suffers deadliest day of protests". Stripes.com. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
  6. ^ Rocket Attack on U.S. Base in Afghanistan Kills 2 Troops, Wounds 6 Americans
  7. ^ http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/02/21/u-s-general-apologizes-as-afghans-storm-bagram-airbase-over-desecrated-korans/
  8. ^ http://nation.foxnews.com/koran/2012/03/01/obama-prosecuting-us-soldiers-koran-burning
  9. ^ Suicide Bomber Attacks Bagram US Base in Afghanistan
  10. ^ a b 4 killed in Afghanistan amid outrage over Quran burning - CNN
  11. ^ a b 5 Killed in Violent Riots Over Koran Burning on U.S. Air Base in Afghanistan
  12. ^ Obama apologizes as Afghan Quran protests rage
  13. ^ Riots over Koran burning end in death in Afghanistan
  14. ^ Anti-US protests rage on in Afghanistan
  15. ^ http://tribune.com.pk/story/341172/obama-apologises-over-quran-burning/
  16. ^ a b c d Shahid, Aliyah (24 February 2012). "Newt Gingrich rips President Obama's apology to Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai over Koran burnings". New York Daily News. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
  17. ^ "U.S. talks with Taliban unsettle the streets of Kabul". CBS News. 5 March 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  18. ^ Twelve killed in protests across Afghanistan
  19. ^ a b Afghan soldier kills two NATO troops in Qur'an protests: ISAF
  20. ^ Obama forced to apologise to Karzai for Koran burnings in Afghanistan
  21. ^ Riechmann, Deb (26 February 2012). "Afghan protesters angry over Quran burnings attack US base with grenades". Daily Reporter. The Associated Press. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
  22. ^ Nick Paton Walsh; Masoud Popalzai (25 February 2012). "2 American officers killed in Afghan ministry". CNN. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  23. ^ a b "Britain withdraws civilians from Afghanistan". Kuwait News Agency. 25 February 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
  24. ^ Nick Paton Walsh; Masoud Popalzai (26 February 2012). "U.S. service members wounded in protest over burned Qurans". CNN. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
  25. ^ "Taliban suicide bombing rocks airport in Afghanistan". Russia Today. 27 February 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  26. ^ VOA News (25 February 2012). "NATO Recalls Staff from Afghan Ministries After Shooting". Voice of America. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
  27. ^ a b Alissa J. Rubin (22 February 2012). "Koran burning at US Base Incites Afghans for 2nd Day". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  28. ^ a b 2 US troops shot dead inside Afghan ministry
  29. ^ Anti-US protests rage on in Afghanistan
  30. ^ Nick Paton Walsh; Masoud Popalzai (24 February 2012). "Deadly violence as commander warns against 'vengeance'". CNN. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  31. ^ Ferris-Rotman, Aime (3/4/2012). "Afghan army chief warns against another NATO blunder". Reuters. Retrieved 3/4/2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  32. ^ [1]
  33. ^ What happens when troops - and money - leave Afghanistan?
  34. ^ Foreign troop presence termed insult to Islam
  35. ^ Koran Burning by US troops in Afghanistan provokes outrage and revolts
  36. ^ Agence France-Presse (24 February 2012). "German army pulls out of Afghan base over Qur'an unrest". The Province. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  37. ^ "Iran condemns desecration of Quran by US forces in Afghanistan". Tehran Times. 26 February 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  38. ^ "Iran seeks UN condemnation of Koran-burning in Afghanistan". Monsters and Critics. 27 February 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  39. ^ Obama apologizes for Koran burning in Afghanistan
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