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US commander defends apology to Afghans
US general and commander of Nato troops in Afghanistan defends apology made to Afghans after copies of the Koran were accidentally burned.
US General John Allen defends President Obama's apology to Aghans
The commander of Nato troops in Afghanistan said there were no regrets regarding the US apology to Afghans after copies of the Koran were burned at a US base.
US General John Allen also said that he hoped the crisis resulting from the incident would end soon but defended the apology made by President Barack Obama which had likely saved lives.
Allen said it was an accident but should still apologise since it was a desecration of the ‘central word of God for them’ and rejected criticism from an American television network.
The Nato commander hoped that relations with Afghanistan could be help the two countries overcome the tensions created by the accident.
Violent anti-US protests erupted after copies of the Koran were burned in an incinerator pit at the Bagram airbase in February. Around 40 people were killed during the protests including six US soldiers killed by Afghan colleagues.
Allen told his commanders to refrain from reacting out of revenge for the attacks on their fellow soldiers even though it would be a challenge for them.
