Violent protests in Afghanistan over the burning of copies of the Holy Quran by US soldiers have made foreigners living in the conservative country even more concerned about their safety. "I go out but in the past couple days, there has been few instances where people have made anti-Western comments loud enough that I could hear," said an Australian aid worker shopping at the Finest, a supermarket in Kabul frequented by Westerners.
The worker, who declined to be named, said since the deadly protests erupted a week ago she has been sensing "hostility". Even Afghans say their Western colleagues have become more reclusive and reluctant to talk. "For a week now, I feel some level of fear and frustration among the Western colleagues," said Mustafa. "I work with a few of them and they used to share all their gossip and information. Now, they don't."
The burning of Holy Quran by US soldiers at an air base last week sparked violent protests in many Afghan cities. Angry protesters targeted a US consulate, a United Nations office and several bases of thhe Nato-led military alliance In the northern city of Taloqan, German soldiers quit their base because of the protests. Afghan soldiers killed two US soldiers during a protest.
Two senior US army officers were shot dead inside the heavily fortified Interior Ministry on Saturday. An Afghan intelligence officer on the run is the main suspect. Analysts say the violence marks an all-time low in the relationship between the Afghan government and its Western allies.
Western countries have pulled their military and civilian advisers from government offices and ministries. The UN asked its staff to stay home. "It's about trust and I think it has been breached," said a consultant with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), who declined to be named. An official with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said foreign staff have been told to leave home only when necessary.
"Only essential movement will be made," said UNAMA spokeswoman Denise Jeanmonod. "We have to report when we leave the place and let the security knows. Most of the UN staffs are continuing their work with government agencies but it's a case by case of course." Afghan police shot dead five people in the northern city of Kunduz on Saturday after angry demonstrators attacked a UNAMA office there.