Afghans protest over children’s death

Published September 2, 2008

KABUL, Sept 1: Hundreds of protesters blocked a road in the Afghan capital on Monday accusing US-led troops of killing two children and their father in a raid in the city. Three children were killed in Paktika.Local people said US-led troops carried out a pre-dawn raid in Hud Kheil area of Kabul, killing Noorullah and two of his sons, one of whom was eight months old.

“It was past midnight when the troops came and surrounded our houses,” said Sulaiman, a resident. “They threw hand grenades on one house and killed three family members,” he said. Noorullah’s wife was wounded, he said.

Local television showed footage of bodies and a damaged house.

“Are these two children Al Qaeda?” an angry resident asked as the bodies were taken for burial. “We don’t expect anything from the government because we don’t have a government,” Sulaiman said.

Three people were taken away by the troops, residents said.

Angry demonstrators burnt tyres on the Kabul-Jalalabad highway.—AFP