One killed, four injured during Kabul demonstration

One person was killed and four injured during a demonstration on Sunday in the Afghan capital, Kabul, when several hundred former army officers entered the defence ministry compound demanding reinstatement and payment of salary arrears.

"We had no choice but to fire as they [the demonstrators] did not agree to talk and continued to march towards the hall of the ministry angrily and aggressively," Zahir Azimi, a spokesman for the defence ministry, told IRIN following the demonstration.

Azimi said some of the protesters were carrying smalls arms with which they exchanged fire with ministry guards after the guards fired into the air to warn the group to disperse. "We were ordered to fire when we realised three of the protesters had pistols under their shawls," Azimi said, noting that the demonstrators could have destroyed ministry property if they had not been stopped.

Kabul has witnessed several demonstrations by former army officers and staff in the last couple of months, mainly protesting about lack of job opportunities and unpaid salaries. Sunday's protest is the second to have claimed a life. Students in the capital went on the rampage in November 2002, in the course of which one student was shot dead by police and dozens of others were injured.

Defence ministry officials said the army dismissals had taken place over recent months as part of reforms aimed at establishing a professional army. "After the last demonstrations, the ministry opened discussions and we paid their salaries after talks, but this time these people just did not accept this," Azimi explained.