More than 400 Afghans protested outside the United Nations compound in Kabul on July 4, according to the BBC. The demonstration was against the July 1 US bombing raid in the country's south-west that slaughtered at least 40 people, possibly more than 100. It was the first anti-US protest in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban regime.
Half the demonstrators were women wearing traditional burqas. “We support coalition measures against the Taliban and al Qaeda”, one told the BBC, “but we cannot tolerate more innocent victims”.
Another said, “Afghans, who have had enough of war and bloodshed in the past 23 years, will react seriously if it is repeated”. “We consider the Americans our liberators, but after this, they may soon become occupiers”, a grocer told Associated Press.
From Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, July 10, 2002.
Visit the Ìý