KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. military said Monday it regretted any offense it may have caused by giving out a soccer ball with the word Allah written on it as part of a public relations exercise in Afghanistan.
At least one of several balls dropped by helicopter to children in eastern Khost province had a small picture of the Saudi Arabian flag. The flag features in Arabic script the Islamic declaration of faith, which contains the words Allah and the Prophet Muhammad.
Villagers were “upset and angry” when they saw the ball, said Khost Gov. Arsalah Jamal.
Muslims treat with the utmost respect any printed matter containing verses of the Koran or the name of Allah or his prophet on it. Most would find the idea of kicking a ball emblazoned with those two names as deeply offensive.
Jamal said the U.S. military had told him they bought the balls in a market in Kabul and that they were made in China.
Soldiers die in fight with Taliban
Fighting between NATO troops and Taliban fighters killed eight soldiers — including six Westerners — and 10 militants in eastern and southern Afghanistan, where insurgent attacks are running at their highest level since the U.S. invasion, officials said Monday. NATO did not release the soldiers’ nationalities, but most NATO troops in the east are American.
Israel: Palestinians rescue Israeli
Palestinian police rescued an Israeli soldier Monday after he mistakenly drove into the West Bank town of Jenin and was surrounded by a mob that later burned his car. Israel praised the rescue as a sign of the growing strength of Palestinian moderates.
From Herald news services
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