Garmsir incident

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The Garmsir incident occurred on January 12, 2010, when several demonstrators were shot by Afghan security forces, during a violent, Taliban-inspired protest against the ISAF.

Demonstration

Protests erupted in Garmsir after a NATO operation in the village of Darweshan, targeting opium traffickers. The Taliban insurgents began to spread rumours that NATO forces had desecrated a copy of the Qur'an. While a spokesman contacted media representatives to witness the demonstration, other insurgents publicized the event using loudspeakers and information sheets, and by sending text messages on satellite phones in remote areas.[1] The number of demonstrators was variously given as 1,000[2] or 2,000,[3] though local US forces estimated their number at 300 to 400.[4] As protesters assembled in the Garmsir bazaar, two US Marine vehicles were despatched from the nearby NATO base, FOB Delhi. When they arrived on the scene, the vehicles were hit by rocks and gunfire, forcing the Marines to retreat back to their base when their ballistic windscreens began to crack. The protesters, who blocked off the District center, proceeded to burn several vehicles, as well as a newly-built school.[4] According to local officials, several protesters were killed after security forces were attacked, and one official was killed. A delegation sent by governor Gulab Mangal gave an initial casualty figure of six killed and seven injured,[1] but later other officials spoke of eight killed and 13 injured.[5] Some sources claimed nine people were killed.[2]

When US Marines returned with reinforcements, they were able to reach the district center. According to their account, Afghan security forces, assisted by local elders, were able to persuade the crowd to disperse.[4]

Reactions

ISAF vehemently denied ever having desecrated a copy of the Qur'an, and having fired on civilians, though they claimed to have killed a sniper who shot an Afghan official outside FOB Delhi.[3] A US Marine account claimed that "order was restored without the need for violent force by the Marines".[4] According to local officials, the protest was organised by Mullah Naim, a senior insurgent commander, with a view to driving a wedge between the local population and the coalition.[1] A spokesman for the Helmand governor later blamed the Pakistani ISI and Al Qaeda for burning the Qurans.[6] A shura was later held with representatives of ISAF and the governor with and 100-200 locals, in order to soothe tensions over the incident.[7] Despite this, on January 15, another riot occurred outside the gates of Combat Outpost Sher, near Garmsir, in which five civilians were injured by ISAF forces.[8]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Dayee, Mohammad Ilyas (2010-01-14). "Garmsir Protest Shows Taleban Reach". IWPR. http://www.iwpr.net/?p=arr&s=f&o=359106&apc_state=henh. Retrieved 2010-01-19. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Nine dead in Afghanistan’s Garmsir protest shooting". Dawn. 2010-01-13. http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/04-garmsir-protest-shooting-qs-01. Retrieved 2010-01-19. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 Associated Press (2010-01-12). "Afghan Officials: 6 Killed in Quran Protest". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/12/world/AP-AS-Afghanistan.html?_r=1. Retrieved 2010-01-19. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Henderson, Dwight (2010-01-18). "Marines,ANSF respond to local riot". United States Marine Corps. http://www.marines.mil/unit/iimef/2ndmeb/Pages/Marines,ANSFrespondtolocalriot.aspx. Retrieved 2010-01-19. 
  5. Malek, Abdul (2010-01-12). "Western, Afghan troops fire during demonstration". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60B2SD20100112. Retrieved 2010-01-19. 
  6. "Al Qaeda, ISI blamed for Quran burning". CNN. 2010-01-28. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/01/28/afghanistan.qurans/index.html?eref=rss_world&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_world+(RSS%3A+World)&utm_content=Yahoo!+Mail. Retrieved 2010-01-29. 
  7. Malek, Abdul (2010-01-13). "Afghans meet NATO over shots at Helmand protest". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60C1X920100113?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews. Retrieved 2010-01-19. 
  8. "NATO admits opening fire on civilians". Press TV. 2010-01-15. http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=116236&sectionid=351020403. Retrieved 2010-01-19.