Two U.S. Advisors Killed as Anti-U.S. Afghan Protests Rage

Two American members of NATO forces in Afghanistan were shot dead in the interior ministry in Kabul Saturday, military and government sources said, as anti-U.S. protests raged for a fifth day.

Taliban insurgents claimed responsibility for the shooting, saying it was carried out by "a hero mujahid Abdul Rahman" in revenge for the burning of Qurans at a U.S.-run military base.

In a day of violence across the country, a U.N. compound came under attack by thousands of demonstrators in northeastern Kunduz province, but they were driven back when police fired into the crowd, an Agence France Presse correspondent at the scene said.

Five people were reported killed in the attack, taking the five day death toll from protests over the burning of Qurans at a U.S.-run military base to 29.

"Initial reports indicate an individual turned his weapon against International Security Assistance Force service members in Kabul City today, killing two service members," NATO said in a statement, without giving further details.

A government source told AFP the two men were American advisors and that they were shot within the Afghan interior ministry, which has responsibilities for counter-terrorism operations, by a member of the Afghan police.

"There was a shooting inside the command and control centre of the interior ministry and two Americans have been killed," the source told AFP, requesting anonymity.

Interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said "two international colleagues were killed inside their office. We are investigating to find out who is responsible for their death."

The U.S., which leads a 130,000-strong military force fighting an insurgency in Afghanistan, has advisors throughout the Afghan government.

Two American troops were shot dead on Thursday when an Afghan soldier turned his weapon on them at their base in Khogyani in eastern Nangarhar province as demonstrators approached.

The Quran burning has inflamed anti-Western sentiment already smoldering in Afghanistan over abuses by U.S.-led foreign troops, such as the release last month of a video showing U.S. Marines urinating on the corpses of dead Afghans.

President Barrack Obama was Thursday forced to apologize over the burning of Qurans at the Bagram U.S. airbase north of Kabul, pledging that those responsible would be held accountable.

Violent anti-U.S. protests have seen furious Afghans attack French, Norwegian and U.S. bases, shouting "death to America" after the Taliban exhorted their countrymen to kill foreign troops to avenge the incident.

There were fresh protests in five different Afghan provinces Saturday over the burning of the Islamic holy book at the U.S. airbase at Bagram near Kabul.

In the assault on the U.N. compound in Kunduz, five people were killed and 66 wounded, including 11 police, health ministry officials and police said.

The U.N. Afghanistan mission issued a statement thanking the police for their "timely response" and regretting their casualties.

"Although caused by legitimate defense, the United Nations also regrets the casualties among the demonstrators and expresses condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.

"UNAMA would like to reiterate the United Nations deep respect for Islam and understanding for the feelings of Muslims at the desecration of the Holy Qur'an," the statement said.

"At the same time, we call upon those who would wish to express their legitimate religious sentiments to reject calls to violence...in order not to allow the enemies of peace to take advantage of the situation."

The Taliban has urged Afghans to kill foreign troops in revenge for the Quran burning.

In Mihtarlam, in the central province of Laghman, hospital officials told AFP 15 protesters had been brought in with gunshot wounds.

Rallies elsewhere in Afghanistan were largely peaceful, however, authorities said, with protesters chanting "death to America" and "Long live Islam".

President Hamid Karzai's government and the U.S.-led NATO mission in Afghanistan have appealed for calm and restraint, fearful that Taliban insurgents are trying to exploit the anti-American backlash.