KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai went on television Sunday to appeal for calm after five days of violent anti-US protests across his country over the burning of Holy Quran at a US military base.
Karzai “condemned with the strongest words” the treatment of Islam’s holy book and said the perpetrators should be punished, but told his countrymen: “Now that we have shown our feelings it is time to be calm and peaceful.”
Karzai has repeatedly urged an end to the violence, which has killed dozens of people, but it was his first direct televised appeal on the issue.
The president said he respected the feelings of Afghans upset by the Quran burning, but called on them not to “let the enemies of Afghanistan misuse their feelings”.
“The demonstrations unfortunately had casualties, some 29 persons were martyred and around 200 wounded,” he said. “We have ordered the security forces to be careful and protect people’s lives and property.” (KMW NEWS)
