Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KABUL544
2006-02-07 14:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:  

VIOLENT PROTESTS CONTINUE INTO SECOND DAY

Tags:  PGOV PREL PINR ASEC AF DA NO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 000544 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SA/FO AMBASSADOR QUINN, S/CT, SA/A
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND
CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76
TREASURY FOR LMCDONALD, WBALDRIDGE, APARAMESWARAN, ABAUKOL
STATE PLEASE PASS USAID
USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR ASEC AF DA NO
SUBJECT: VIOLENT PROTESTS CONTINUE INTO SECOND DAY

REF: KABUL 532

Classified By: DCM RICHARD NORLAND FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 000544

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SA/FO AMBASSADOR QUINN, S/CT, SA/A
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND
CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76
TREASURY FOR LMCDONALD, WBALDRIDGE, APARAMESWARAN, ABAUKOL
STATE PLEASE PASS USAID
USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR ASEC AF DA NO
SUBJECT: VIOLENT PROTESTS CONTINUE INTO SECOND DAY

REF: KABUL 532

Classified By: DCM RICHARD NORLAND FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. Violent anti-Danish and anti-Western
demonstrations continued throughout Afghanistan on Tuesday,
February 7. Norwegian-led PRT Maimana in northwestern
Afghanistan came under small arms fire and grenade attack
from a small group of protesters who breached the PRT
perimeter. Dutch-led PRT Pol-e Komri in Baghlan province was
also attacked by stone-throwing protesters. In Kabul,
stone-throwing protesters demonstrated outside a US base and
ISAF headquarters. Four ISAF soldiers total are reported
injured, with three protesters likely killed. END SUMMARY.

Faryab: Attack on PRT Maimana
--------------


2. (C) The most significant activity took place in Maimana,
capital of Faryab Province (northwestern Afghanistan),site
of a Norwegian-led PRT. According to ISAF, 20-30
"demonstrators" were able to enter the outer perimeter of the
PRT compound, firing small arms and throwing hand grenades.
Three Norwegian PRT soldiers were wounded. PRT forces fired
warning shots, and a British Quick Reaction Force from
RAC-North deployed to Maimana. Reports indicate that the
protesters pulled back from the PRT after the Afghan National
Police (ANP) opened fire, but that as of 1600 local time, the
demonstrators were still in place. The Deputy Governor of
Faryab Province was also on the scene trying to convince the
demonstrators to cease. The only confirmed Afghan casualty
appears to have been one protester who blew himself up with
his own grenade, although other reports indicate three
protesters may have been killed by the police. Unconfirmed
reports indicate the protesters may have taken their weapons
from the local ANP battalion, which had been in Maimana only
two months and was slow to respond to the crisis.

Kabul: Stone-throwing Continues

--------------


3. (U) Several small protests took place in Kabul on February
7, including some violent demonstrations. A 200-300-person
protest in the Wazir Akbar Khan district, home to many
Embassies, included demonstrators throwing stones at civilian
vehicles and police. This group of protesters demonstrated
outside ISAF HQ, the compound next to the US Embassy, and
outside CFC-A Camp Eggers. Police fired shots in the air in
order to break it up. Reports indicate that after a gunfight
on Jalalabad Road, three armed protesters and two police were
injured.

Baghlan: Small Attack on PRT Pol-e Komri
--------------


4. (U) Kunduz-based PRToff reports two demonstrations in
Baghlan province in northern Afghanistan. A group of around
150 people protested in front of the Dutch-led PRT in Pol-e
Komri. After the demonstrators began throwing rocks into the
PRT, PRT soldiers threw smoke and concussion grenades into
the crowd. ANP and ANA later came and dispersed the crowd.
Reports indicated that one ISAF soldier was injured by a
stone and two protesters were injured. Another protest in
Pol-e Komri temporarily closed the main highway north to
Kunduz from Kabul.

Small Protests in Other Provinces
--------------


5. (U) There were scattered protests in towns along the
Kabul-Kandahar highway in Ghazni and Wardak provinces. In
Ghazni province (Sayadabad),a small demonstration (150-300
people) pelted an OSC-A vehicle with rocks, breaking several
windows. In Wardak province (Salar),demonstrators threw
rocks at an IOM vehicle.


6. (U) In Herat, the Italian PRT reported a small, peaceful
demonstration at Governor's palace. In Jalalabad, small
demonstrations were also dispersed quickly by the police. In
Badakhshan, demonstrations took place on the main road east
out of Faizabad city, blocking traffic for several hours.
ANSO reports a UN vehicle in Faizabad was hit by stones, with
no injuries. Small, peaceful protests also continued to take
place in Mehterlam (Laghman province).

Bombings in Kandahar and Wardak
--------------


7. (SBU) Two attacks on police stations also occurred on
February 7. In Kandahar, a large explosion outside the
police headquarters compound killed at least twelve people,
mostly police officers, injuring 12-13 more. A Taliban
spokesman claimed responsibility for this attack. In Wardak,
a vehicle-born IED exploded outside the police station in
Maidan Shahr, killing one police officer. These attacks do
not appear directly related to the anti-cartoon protests.

International Response
--------------


8. (SBU) Danish Embassy joined the Norwegians in relocating
their staff to the airport on Monday, where Danish forces are
located as part of the ISAF base. The Danish Chief of
Mission was scheduled to return to Afghanistan today, and
they are currently working on coming up with a comprehensive
response. The UN pulled their international staff out of
Faryab, with several NGOs following suit. Many Embassies,
NGOs and UN offices have issued orders to minimize travel for
the next few days.


9. (SBU) ISAF headquarters stated that it is not able to
intervene to protect international staff in Afghanistan
except "in extremis," when no other organization is able to
provide assistance. It did, however, offer shelter inside
PRTs to expatriate NGO staff in multiple circumstances.

GOA Response
--------------


10. (U) On February 5, Supreme Court Chief Justice Shinwari
called for a boycott of Danish products and for the GOA to
sever relations with the Danish government.

Comment
--------------


11. (C) Wednesday, February 8 marks the beginning of Ashura,
a two-day holiday for Shiite Muslims usually marked by large
parades and demonstrations. Preparations for the event are
already evident in Shiite areas of Kabul and elsewhere in
Afghanistan. There will be demonstrations across the country
for the next two days as part of holiday celebrations, which
could easily include anti-Western slogans. The prospect of
additional violence is uncertain. While small groups of
protesters could cause violence, the primary instigators of
violence are believed to be Sunni, not Shia Muslims.


12. (C) The protests do, however, demonstrate that the
network of local religious leaders in Afghanistan remains one
of the strongest in the country. Local elders even in remote
districts (such as Dih Yak in Ghazni province, on the border
with Paktika and Paktia) demonstrate a high level of
awareness about the controversy in conversations with
international officials.


13. (C) Maimana PRT had been very quiet prior to these
attacks. The Finns and Norwegians stationed at the PRT had
put a strong focus on development projects and had reported
good relations with the local population. While it is
currently unclear what led to these attack on this PRT, the
fact that the only Scandinavian-led PRT in Afghanistan faced
the most serious attack indicates that they may have been
more organized eadership behind the protest. While it is
too soon to analyze the effectiveness of the PRT, ANA and ANP
response, Post is continuing to gather information from the
provinces. END COMMENT.
NEUMANN