Afghan university students shout anti-US slogans and hold a banner reading 'No Democracy; We want just Islam!' during a demonstration in Kabul on October 25, 2009.

ISLAMIZATION WATCH

More than 100,000 foreign troops are battling a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan, where violence this year reached its highest level since the austere Islamists were ousted by U.S.-backed Afghan forces in 2001.

Thick plumes of smoke rose above the crowd as protesters set fire to a large effigy of what they said was U.S. President Barack Obama.
"Death to America. Down with Israel," chanted one man at the rally, which was organized mainly by university students.

Others threw stones and clashed with police but no casualties were reported.

"No to democracy. We just want Islam," said one banner carried by protesters, many of whom shook their fists in the air.

Captain Elizabeth Mathias, a media officer for U.S. and NATO-led forces in Afghanistan,

. . said the Taliban were trying to undermine foreign troops by spreading the rumor.

“We did not burn a Koran … It is unfortunate that the protesters believe a Taliban rumor,” Mathias said, adding an investigation had been carried out.

The Taliban could not be reached immediately for comment.

Security is already being tightened across Afghanistan as the country braces for a run-off vote in its presidential poll on November 7 after the first round in August was tainted by allegations of widespread fraud

Islamization Watch