Students oppose 'the biggest terrorist'

Anger over the recent massacre of civilians:

Hundreds protest Afghan civilian killings

KABUL, May 10 (AFP) — Hundreds of Kabul university students labelled the United States "the world's biggest terrorist" Sunday as they protested against US air strikes said to have killed scores of Afghan villagers.

Chanting "Death to America," "Death to the biggest terrorist" and "long live Islam," up to 1,000 protesters marched outside the university to condemn what is believed to be the deadliest such incident in nearly eight years.

Their banners read "The blood of the Farah martyrs will never dry" and "USA is the world's biggest terrorist," an AFP photographer at the scene witnessed.

Another banner demanded that those responsible for the air strikes last week in southwestern Farah province go on trial.

Student leaders read out a statement condemning civilian casualties from both Taliban attacks and military strikes.

"Our people are fed up with Taliban beheadings and suicide bombings. On the other hand, the massacre of civilians by the American forces is a crime that our people will never forget," it said...

One local investigation has said 140 civilians were killed, including 94 girls aged under 18 who had gathered in a compound to take shelter from the fighting.

Some villagers said the strikes hit an area which the Taliban had already left and where there was no fighting... (link)

Related:

• Sept 2007: Al Jazeera says more than a thousand protesters block highway to Kandahar, shouting "Death to Canada," following an incident where Canadian troops killed two clerics in a nighttime raid.

• May 11, 2008: VIDEO: Afghan police open fire on anti-US demo, killing three. Later, US officials release without charge all the suspects arrested in the raid which sparked the deadly protests.

• May 22, 2008: Afghan police kill anti-US demonstrators - again.

• June 12 2008: "Four demonstrators were wounded in a protest walk against US forces in the southeastern province of Paktika" in Muta Khan district.

• June 14 2008: Pajhwok Afghan News: "police fired to disrupt a peaceful demonstration against NATO operations in the southeastern province of Paktia," in Zermat district.

• Aug 2008: Veteran journalist Anand Gopal: "Sohaila Wedah Khamoush, a reporter for the independent daily Payman, says she has been repeatedly abused by police and government officials. 'I saw police beating protesters in an anti-US demonstration,' she says."

• Aug 2008: Police and army troops opened fire on protesters in Nangarhar province, killing or injuring several people. One witness said 17 people were killed.

• Aug 2008: Locals in Helmand confront NATO troops after civilians killed: "Warnings were given by the locals for the ANA to move out of the base so they could deal with the UK troops left there."

• January 2009: Demonstrators in Kandahar city denounce Israeli attacks against Gaza and call for US troops to withdraw from Afghanistan.