Press at odds over Kabul riots

As many as 2,000 people took to the streets of Kabul

Newspapers in Afghanistan comment widely on the anti-American protests in the capital, with one state-owned daily calling them a "disgrace".

Other government-run papers condemn the violence - which started when a US military truck crashed into other vehicles killing several people - and suggest that the rioters were using popular sentiment for their own ends.

Independent dailies take a different line, saying that the incident was a "terrorist act" and quoting eyewitnesses who claimed coalition troops were drunk.

State-owned The Kabul Times

The unruly demonstrations in Kabul yesterday were a disgrace to law and order and to the constitution in Afghanistan. From start to finish it was like an inferno fanned by foreign hands. At the same time the demonstrators were thieves, rogues and an undisciplined crowd who took advantage of the situation and robbed vendors, shops, and broke the windows of cars and offices.

State-owned Anis

Yesterday's incidents in Kabul once again showed that the rioters use people's emotions and we witnessed destructive acts in many parts of Kabul city which were contrary to what the people want. One must accept that after two and a half decades of war, democracy is what the Afghan nation needs, but democracy never means rioting, opportunism, looting and robbing.

State-owned Hewad

Yesterday's violence in Kabul deeply saddened our compatriots. We are deeply sorry about the deaths of a number of our compatriots yesterday. At the same time we condemn violence carried out by anyone and in any form.

Independent Cheragh

29 May was a general day of mourning and tragedy for Kabul residents. The incidents were painful and shameful because the peacekeepers and protectors of people's lives and property carried out a terrorist act and thus killed dozens and injured hundreds of people. On this day people learnt some new meanings of terms such as "co-operation" and "human rights". They came to know how much importance their international friends give them!

Independent Arman-e Melli

Even though the coalition spokesman called what happened yesterday a traffic accident caused by technical problems in the vehicles, some eyewitnesses say that the main cause of the incident was the recklessness of the troops and the fact that they were drunk.

BBC Monitoring selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.