Curfew imposed after deadly riots in Kabul

AFGHANISTAN: The government imposed a nighttime curfew in the Afghan capital after deadly riots wracked the city, the Interior Ministry announced.

Yousuf Stanezai, a ministry spokesman, said all Kabul residents were to stay off the streets between 10 p.m and 4 a.m. local time. Anyone found outside would suffer "serious measures." He didn't elaborate.

Meanwhile security forces in tanks and on foot took up positions around the Afghan capital Tuesday to prevent a repeat of deadly anti-foreigner riots - the most widespread violence in the city since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

The overnight curfew passed without incident and there were no reports of violence, said Gen. Zahir Azimi, the Defense Ministry spokesman.

"The army has control of the city. We have tanks in the city for the first time," he said. "We have 2,000 troops at key places. Everything is calm."

There were no sounds of gunfire or plumes of smoke coming from around the city, unlike Monday when protesters chanting "Death to America!" marched on the presidential palace and rioters smashed police guard boxes, set fire to police cars and ransacked buildings, including the compound of aid group CARE International.

The violence erupted after a convoy of U.S. military vehicles coming into the city from the outskirts rammed into a rush-hour traffic jam, hitting several civilian cars.

Up to five people were killed in the crash, while at least three were killed in the subsequent fighting.

As the violence eased late Monday, embassies sent out convoys of armoured vehicles to pluck their nationals from homes and buildings across the city and bring them to foreign military bases where they spent the night.

As local residents emerged onto the streets early Tuesday, many expressed dismay at the amount of damage.

"Who is ruining our city? We are very very sad," said shopkeeper Zalmai Mohammed, 25, near a hotel that had its windows smashed and shops that had been looted. "The government should shoot the rioters. This is so sad. Everything was burning."

Another shopkeeper, Asadullah Chelsea, appeared to in shock as he surveyed damage at his supermarket, which is popular with foreigners. "Where were all the security forces yesterday?" he asked. "I have lost thousands of dollars of stock."

While some stores remained closed, many were opening and hundreds of people were commuting to work in buses, cars and on foot. But foreigners were staying off the streets.

On Monday, an AP reporter saw several demonstrators pull a man who appeared to be a Westerner from a civilian vehicle and beat him. The man escaped and ran to a line of police, who fired shots over the heads of the demonstrators.

Other Westerners escaped the protesters by driving at high speed and refusing to stop when the rioters tried to block their way.

The U.S. military expressed regret for any deaths and injuries caused by the crash and said there would be an investigation.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai appealed for calm, branding rioters "agitators" and saying in a national address that Afghans must stand against those who loot and destroy property.

Kabul, Tuesday, AP