KABUL, Afghanistan — Armed with rocks, bricks, pistols and wooden sticks, protesters angry over the burning of Korans at the largest American base in Afghanistan this week took to the streets in demonstrations in a half-dozen provinces on Wednesday that left at least seven dead and many more injured.
The fury does not appear likely to abate soon. Members of Parliament called on Afghans to take up arms against the American military, and Western officials said they feared that conservative mullahs might incite more violence at the weekly Friday Prayer, when a large number of people worship at mosques.
The US rushed to condemn the Koran burning, with US President Barack Obama apologising to the Afghan people for what he said was a mistake and pledging that the perpetrators would be punished.
But furious Afghans took to the streets across the country and tried to attack French, Norwegian, UN and US bases, shouting "Death to America".
Among the dead were two US troops killed when an Afghan soldier turned his weapon on them as protesters approached their base in eastern Afghanistan
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