11 Afghans Dead as Protest of NATO Raid Turns Violent

Hundreds of protesters, angered by an overnight NATO raid that they believed killed four civilians, clashed with security forces today on the streets of a northern Afghan city. At least 11 people were killed and 50 injured as the protesters fought with police and tried to assault a NATO outpost in Taloqan, the capital of Takhar province, government officials said. The NATO raid they were protesting took place hours before on the outskirts of the city.

The provincial governor says the four casualties from the raid were two women and two men who were killed when troops burst into a home late last night, and says that no one in his government was informed about the raid and that NATO acted unilaterally. NATO confirms it killed four people, two of them women, but says all were armed and tried to fire on its troops. NATO also says the raid was conducted by a "combined Afghan and coalition security force," and that the governor was contacted ahead of the raid. (More NATO stories.)