Afghanistan: U.S. shoots civilians after crashing through their cars

BBC Worldservice radio is reporting that 'riots' are spreading through the Afghan Capital in the response to the events reported below.

guardian:A deadly traffic accident involving U.S. troops sparked a riot in the Afghan capital on Monday, with U.S. and Afghan security forces firing on protesters, police and witnesses said. At least four people were killed.

Hundreds of protesters marched on palace of U.S.-backed President Hamid Karzai in the city center after the incident, shouting "Death to Karzai! Death to America!"

Gunfire was also heard near the U.S. Embassy. The staff was moved to a secure location within the heavily fortified compound, said Chris Harris, an embassy spokesman.

Rioters broke into shops and stole household items [db: stole household items?? - that's terrible] , and an AP reporter said he saw several demonstrators pull a foreign man from a vehicle and beat him. The man escaped and ran to a line of police, who fired shots over the heads of the demonstrators.

Afghan troops deployed around Kabul, and two tanks of NATO peacekeepers drove at high speed through the city center. Rioters smashed police guard boxes and set fire to police cars.

Witnesses said the incident began when a convoy of at least three U.S. Humvees came into the city from the outskirts and hit several civilian cars in rush-hour traffic jam.

"The American convoy hit all the vehicles which were in their way. They didn't care about the civilians at all," said Mohammad Wali, 21, a shopkeeper.

Three people were killed and 16 wounded in the crash, said Sher Shah Usafi, a Kabul police chief. U.S. forces then fired on the crowd, killing one person and wounding two, he said.

A commander with the city's traffic police who was at the scene said he also saw U.S. forces firing on protesters. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

A U.S. military spokesman, Lt. Col. Paul Fitzpatrick, confirmed U.S. troops were involved in the accident but said the military had "no indication that U.S. forces fired any shots." He said an investigation was continuing.

State television cut transmission of a live broadcast of parliament when one angry lawmaker interrupted the proceedings to protest the incident.

.... "I have seen the incident.... I come from that area and I have to tell you," Taj Mohammed Mujahid shouted before the house speaker ruled him out of order and the screen went black. Read more

And something similar from timesonline:

Timesonline: At least five Afghans were killed and another 20 injured when a United States military convoy crashed in Kabul, sparking violent anti-American street protests.

Reports suggest that three Humvee and three military lorries were involved in a road accident on the outskirts of the city during the morning rush hour.

A photographer for the Associated Press (AP) news agency at the scene said that the driver of one of the US trucks lost control, apparently suffering faulty brakes, and smashed into waiting traffic.

At least one person was killed in the fatal crash which brought demonstrators out on to the streets. They began pelting the US convoy with stones. American troops opened fire, killing at least four people, the photographer said.

The protest erupted into a riot in the tense capital, with police firing live rounds above the stone-throwing crowd as the US troops withdrew.

Shops were looted, two police cars burned and a reporter from AP described watching a civilian being dragged from his car and beaten.

At least one person died as gunfire was exchanged between protesters and police.

Around 2,000 people are said to have marched on the fortified palace of US-backed President Hamid Karzai shouting "Death to Karzai! Death to America!"

Bursts of automatic gunfire were also heard outside the US Embassy and officials were moved to secure bunkers within the embassy compound.

One of the protesters told AP: "These cowards opened fire into the crowd and killed them like sheep. First they drove into the people's cars, destroyed them and then fired onto the people who were only throwing stones at them.

"They think Afghanistan is a playground where they can practise shooting." Read more

db: 'Humanitarian intervention' is a bloody business, no? Most shocking of all was that Guardian report of the theft of 'household items'. More to follow..no doubt..on this latest US 'crime'/'error'/'accident'/'tragedy'/'twist of fate' [choose one].