Afghan city calm after bloody protests

Mon 13 September, 2004 09:27

By Sayed Salahuddin

HERAT, Afghanistan (Reuters) - The western Afghan city of Herat is calm following bloody clashes between supporters of the powerful ousted governor and U.S. and Afghan forces sent to keep the peace.

Roadblocks set up by authorities on Sunday after Ismail Khan's supporters torched buildings in a U.N. compound were removed and the skies were clear of U.S. combat helicopters for the first time since Saturday afternoon.

Medics and witnesses reported seven people killed and up to 50 injured in weekend violence which erupted when President Hamid Karzai -- favourite to win Afghanistan's first ever direct presidential election on October 9 -- sacked Khan and appointed a replacement as part of his campaign pledge to rein in warlords.

The U.S. military said 15 of its soldiers had been injured in the clashes, with three of them evacuated for treatment, along with three Afghan national army servicemen.

Spokesman Major Scott Nelson said he had no figures for civilian casualties, but praised Afghan and U.S. forces for showing "remarkable restraint" against what he said was a small group of protesters brought in from outside to stir up trouble.

"Our forces have not fired one round," he told a news briefing in the Afghan capital.

Nick Downie, of the Afghanistan Non-Governmental Organisation Security Office (ANSO), said around 30 NGO staff had been relocated on Monday morning from Herat as a security precaution.

On Sunday night, Ismail Khan called on his supporters to exercise restraint and the army announced on Herat TV that further violence would be met with military force.

NIGHT CURFEW

Authorities also imposed a night curfew and U.S. spokesman Nelson said it would be in force again on Monday from 9 p.m. (5.30 p.m. British time).

But shops were open and traffic flowing normally on Monday on the streets of the strategic ancient city, near the border with Iran and Turkmenistan. Troops from the national army, national police and U.S.-led forces were seen on patrol.

Residents had mixed reactions to the change of governor in Herat, the most prosperous region in Afghanistan.

"We wanted a change because Ismail Khan was very tough in terms of social freedoms," said a street hawker who gave his name as Assadullah. "But he has done some good works here and people appreciate that, there is no doubt."

Pharmacist Gullabuddin felt Khan's removal was part of a U.S. strategy to gradually remove the influence of mujahideen who had fought the Soviet occupation from Karzai's government.

Khan is a veteran mujahideen leader and a critic of U.S.-backed government and Washington's policies in Afghanistan.

The change of governor in Herat follows fighting last month between Khan's forces and those of his arch rival, commander Amanullah Khan.

The fighting ended after a ceasefire was brokered by U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, who is a close confidant of Karzai.

Herat accounts for 8 percent of the more than 10 million Afghans who have registered to vote in the presidential election which pits Karzai against 17 challengers.