KABUL (Reuters) - Thousands of angry Afghans stormed and set fire to the long-deserted U.S. embassy in the capital, Kabul, as part of huge protests against threatened U.S. strikes. (Read photo caption below)Two Taliban fighters climbed on to the building and used a hammer and an iron rod to rip off the U.S. seal from over the main door to the old office of the ambassador.
All U.S. diplomats and staff left the embassy just before the Soviet Union abandoned its occupation of Afghanistan in 1989 and the United States has maintained only a skeleton local staff and has no diplomatic ties with the isolated purist Taliban rulers of Afghanistan.
``Death to Bush,'' shouted tens of thousands of protesters, mostly government officials and students, who marched through the city to protest against U.S. demands that the Taliban hand over Osama bin Laden, chief suspect in this month's devastating suicide plane attacks.
``We will support Islam and bin Laden,'' they chanted.
The protesters burned an effigy of President Bush, ripped apart a U.S. flag and hurled stones at the gates and offices of the embassy before setting it alight.
Several marchers and Taliban fighters were injured by stones.
``The U.S. government should learn a lesson from our defeat of the Russians and the British,'' they shouted.
``Others like them and their embassy, they will be trampled under the feet of Muslims and Afghans,'' one protester said.
``God is great,'' shouted the demonstrators.
PHOTO CAPTION:
Afghan protesters watch a fire in the compound of the U.S. embassy in Kabul, September 26, 2001. Thousands of angry Afghans stormed and set fire to the long-deserted embassy on Wednesday as part of huge protests against possible U.S. strikes following recent attacks in New York and Washington. (Reuters TV/Reuters)