District Chief of Police addresses protesting crowd after local killed

AFGHANISTAN

02.22.2012

Story by Staff Sgt. Fritz Butac 

NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Col. Zahir, Narang district chief of Police, addressed a crowd of close to 400 citizens who’d gathered for an anti-coalition forces demonstration at the Lamatek bazaar, Feb. 22.

“Why are you not protesting the [insurgents] who killed an innocent brother yesterday right here in Narang?” Zahir asked.
After Zahir addressed the crowd, the anti-coalition forces protest peacefully dispersed and 30 village elders agreed to meet at the district center to discuss the death of Noor Rahman and the actions of the local insurgents.

Rahman, a 22-year-old from Karamar village, was killed earlier in the day when insurgents shot at Rahman from the nearby mountains while making improvements and enhancing the district school. He is survived by his wife, of four months.

“The insurgents demonstrated their lack of concern for the safety and welfare of citizens living in the district, by shooting someone who was working on making the district a better place for everyone,” said a coalition SOF team member.

The anti-coalition forces protest had gathered after recent reports of coalition forces accidentally burning copies of the Koran and other religious materials on a military base earlier in the week.

Gen. John R. Allen, International Security Assistance Force commander, released a statement early in the week to the people of Afghanistan regarding the incident.

“I assure you, I promise you: this was not intentional in any way,” Allen said. “I offer my sincere apologies for any offense this may have caused, to the president of Afghanistan, the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and most importantly, to the noble people of Afghanistan.”

• Date Taken: 02.22.2012
• Date Posted: 02.25.2012 05:40
• Story ID: 84335
• Location: AF