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Afghanistan
3 Killed, Scores Wounded in Kuchi-Hazara Clashes
2010-08-15
[Tolo News] Nearly, three people were killed and thirty others were wounded in clashes between Kuchis and Hazaras in Kabul city. Kabul police officials also acknowledged their forces' fatality after reporting one police dead and 24 others injured in the Afghan ethnic conflicts.

Meanwhile, some residents in Kota-e-Sangi commented that the demonstration staged by the Hazaras on Saturday caused their stores and shops to be looted.

There are contradicting reports about the incident, but locals said that Kuchis (nomads) attacked them first, a claim denied by nomads.

Locals said nomads attacked them when they were trying to start the construction work of their houses in Tapa-i-Korgh, a place in Daru-l-Aman area of Kabul.

Locals also complained that nomads, who had guns had also beaten up some residents.

The lands are said to be owned by the government, located near an area owned by Haji Nabi, the brother of the vice-President, Karim Khalili.

One of the Hazara protesters said: "The nomads are armed and still threatening people."

Some of the nomads deny it claiming that the Hazaras themselves attacked them and even threw grenades at them.

The nomads claim that several nomads have been killed and wounded, and their tents have been burnt down.

The nomads have left the area now.

"My brother and my son have been killed," said one of the nomads, claiming that all the Hazaras were armed.

Some of the security forces also confirmed that the nomads' tents were burnt down and that some of the nomads have been killed.

After the clashes in this area, some of the Hazara people in Pul-e-Sukhta and Mazari Park in the west of Kabul, also took to the streets conducting violent protests.

Witnesses say that protesters got in conflict with the police burning down several police check posts in the area.

There have been clashes between Kuchis and Hazaras before in Maidan Wardak province over the use of pastures, but this is the first time that a clash between the two has broken in Kabul over land ownership.
Posted by:Fred

#1  Summary: the local townspeople were building illegally on public land currently used by the nomads. The nomads objected, and mayhem merrily ensued. Shops were damaged and looted by all concerned, but it is convenient to blame the outsiders. The police prudently let the two sides fight it out, but were attacked anyway.
Posted by: trailing wife in Germany   2010-08-15 01:23  

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