This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 000544 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA/FO AMBASSADOR QUINN, S/CT, SA/A 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND 
CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 
TREASURY FOR LMCDONALD, WBALDRIDGE, APARAMESWARAN, ABAUKOL 
STATE PLEASE PASS USAID 
USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR ASEC AF DA NO
SUBJECT: VIOLENT PROTESTS CONTINUE INTO SECOND DAY 
 
REF: KABUL 532 
 
Classified By: DCM RICHARD NORLAND FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Violent anti-Danish and anti-Western 
demonstrations continued throughout Afghanistan on Tuesday, 
February 7.  Norwegian-led PRT Maimana in northwestern 
Afghanistan came under small arms fire and grenade attack 
from a small group of protesters who breached the PRT 
perimeter.  Dutch-led PRT Pol-e Komri in Baghlan province was 
also attacked by stone-throwing protesters.  In Kabul, 
stone-throwing protesters demonstrated outside a US base and 
ISAF headquarters.  Four ISAF soldiers total are reported 
injured, with three protesters likely killed.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Faryab: Attack on PRT Maimana 
----------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) The most significant activity took place in Maimana, 
capital of Faryab Province (northwestern Afghanistan), site 
of a Norwegian-led PRT.  According to ISAF, 20-30 
"demonstrators" were able to enter the outer perimeter of the 
PRT compound, firing small arms and throwing hand grenades. 
Three Norwegian PRT soldiers were wounded.  PRT forces fired 
warning shots, and a British Quick Reaction Force from 
RAC-North deployed to Maimana.  Reports indicate that the 
protesters pulled back from the PRT after the Afghan National 
Police (ANP) opened fire, but that as of 1600 local time, the 
demonstrators were still in place.  The Deputy Governor of 
Faryab Province was also on the scene trying to convince the 
demonstrators to cease.  The only confirmed Afghan casualty 
appears to have been one protester who blew himself up with 
his own grenade, although other reports indicate three 
protesters may have been killed by the police.  Unconfirmed 
reports indicate the protesters may have taken their weapons 
from the local ANP battalion, which had been in Maimana only 
two months and was slow to respond to the crisis. 
 
Kabul: Stone-throwing Continues 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) Several small protests took place in Kabul on February 
7, including some violent demonstrations.  A 200-300-person 
protest in the Wazir Akbar Khan district, home to many 
Embassies, included demonstrators throwing stones at civilian 
vehicles and police.  This group of protesters demonstrated 
outside ISAF HQ, the compound next to the US Embassy, and 
outside CFC-A Camp Eggers.  Police fired shots in the air in 
order to break it up.  Reports indicate that after a gunfight 
on Jalalabad Road, three armed protesters and two police were 
injured. 
 
Baghlan: Small Attack on PRT Pol-e Komri 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Kunduz-based PRToff reports two demonstrations in 
Baghlan province in northern Afghanistan.  A group of around 
150 people protested in front of the Dutch-led PRT in Pol-e 
Komri.  After the demonstrators began throwing rocks into the 
PRT, PRT soldiers threw smoke and concussion grenades into 
the crowd.  ANP and ANA later came and dispersed the crowd. 
Reports indicated that one ISAF soldier was injured by a 
stone and two protesters were injured.  Another protest in 
Pol-e Komri temporarily closed the main highway north to 
Kunduz from Kabul. 
 
Small Protests in Other Provinces 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) There were scattered protests in towns along the 
Kabul-Kandahar highway in Ghazni and Wardak provinces.  In 
Ghazni province (Sayadabad), a small demonstration (150-300 
people) pelted an OSC-A vehicle with rocks, breaking several 
windows.  In Wardak province (Salar), demonstrators threw 
rocks at an IOM vehicle. 
 
¶6. (U) In Herat, the Italian PRT reported a small, peaceful 
demonstration at Governor's palace.  In Jalalabad, small 
demonstrations were also dispersed quickly by the police.  In 
Badakhshan, demonstrations took place on the main road east 
out of Faizabad city, blocking traffic for several hours. 
ANSO reports a UN vehicle in Faizabad was hit by stones, with 
no injuries.  Small, peaceful protests also continued to take 
place in Mehterlam (Laghman province). 
 
Bombings in Kandahar and Wardak 
------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Two attacks on police stations also occurred on 
February 7.  In Kandahar, a large explosion outside the 
police headquarters compound killed at least twelve people, 
mostly police officers, injuring 12-13 more.  A Taliban 
spokesman claimed responsibility for this attack.  In Wardak, 
a vehicle-born IED exploded outside the police station in 
Maidan Shahr, killing one police officer.  These attacks do 
not appear directly related to the anti-cartoon protests. 
 
International Response 
---------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Danish Embassy joined the Norwegians in relocating 
their staff to the airport on Monday, where Danish forces are 
located as part of the ISAF base.  The Danish Chief of 
Mission was scheduled to return to Afghanistan today, and 
they are currently working on coming up with a comprehensive 
response.  The UN pulled their international staff out of 
Faryab, with several NGOs following suit.  Many Embassies, 
NGOs and UN offices have issued orders to minimize travel for 
the next few days. 
 
¶9. (SBU) ISAF headquarters stated that it is not able to 
intervene to protect international staff in Afghanistan 
except "in extremis," when no other organization is able to 
provide assistance.  It did, however, offer shelter inside 
PRTs to expatriate NGO staff in multiple circumstances. 
 
GOA Response 
------------ 
 
¶10. (U) On February 5, Supreme Court Chief Justice Shinwari 
called for a boycott of Danish products and for the GOA to 
sever relations with the Danish government. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶11. (C) Wednesday, February 8 marks the beginning of Ashura, 
a two-day holiday for Shiite Muslims usually marked by large 
parades and demonstrations.  Preparations for the event are 
already evident in Shiite areas of Kabul and elsewhere in 
Afghanistan.  There will be demonstrations across the country 
for the next two days as part of holiday celebrations, which 
could easily include anti-Western slogans.  The prospect of 
additional violence is uncertain.  While small groups of 
protesters could cause violence, the primary instigators of 
violence are believed to be Sunni, not Shia Muslims. 
 
¶12. (C) The protests do, however, demonstrate that the 
network of local religious leaders in Afghanistan remains one 
of the strongest in the country.  Local elders even in remote 
districts (such as Dih Yak in Ghazni province, on the border 
with Paktika and Paktia) demonstrate a high level of 
awareness about the controversy in conversations with 
international officials. 
 
¶13. (C) Maimana PRT had been very quiet prior to these 
attacks.  The Finns and Norwegians stationed at the PRT had 
put a strong focus on development projects and had reported 
good relations with the local population.  While it is 
currently unclear what led to these attack on this PRT, the 
fact that the only Scandinavian-led PRT in Afghanistan faced 
the most serious attack indicates that they may have been 
more organized eadership behind the protest.  While it is 
too soon to analyze the effectiveness of the PRT, ANA and ANP 
response, Post is continuing to gather information from the 
provinces.  END COMMENT. 
NEUMANN