Afghan protesters blocked the path of U.S. military convoy - say overnight raid killed 4 civilians

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Kabul , Mar 7 (AP) Afghan demonstrators blocked the path of a US military convoy in eastern Afghanistan today after an overnight US raid killed four Afghans and wounded two, an official and protesters said.

Protesters in the eastern city of Khost threw rocks at the convoy, shouted" Death to America"and burned tires on the road, sending up dark plumes of smoke. Several hundred men gathered on the street, preventing the vehicles from passing.

The demonstrators were condemning an early morning raid in Khost province that killed four people and wounded two, said Tahir Khan Sabari, Khost deputy governor.

Protesters also said several Afghans were arrested in the raid. Sabari said the four killed were civilians.

Overnight raids are typically carried out by US Special Operations Forces. A US spokesman couldn't immediately be reached for comment and a spokesman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force had no immediate information.

Sabari said the raid took place without the participation of Afghan forces despite a recent agreement between US forces and the Afghan Ministry of Defence saying Afghans would take part in overnight raids to prevent civilian casualties and help with cultural issues, like entering Afghan homes and language difficulties.

http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/518868/International/2/20/2

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1. another account

7 March 2009

KHOST, Afghanistan - Nearly 150 people on Saturday demonstrated in eastern Afghanistan over the deaths of four people killed in a night raid that US-led coalition forces said was targeted at insurgents.

Carrying the coffins of the victims, protesters blocked the road between Gardez and Khost for two hours, according to an AFP correspondent.

"Death to America, death to the government, death to the governor," the demonstrators chanted, before throwing stones at a convoy of soldiers from the International Strategic Assistant Force (ISAF).

The demonstrators said the four dead were not linked to the Taliban.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/international/2009/March/international_March563.xml§ion=international