Three protesters were killed on Thursday rallies. Meanwhile, an Afghan soldier has opened fire on foreign troops killing two of them.

protesters trying tear US flag

Afghans kept up their protests over the burning of the holy Quran by US occupation troops.  Three protesters were killed on Thursday rallies. Meanwhile, an Afghan soldier has opened fire on foreign troops killing two of them.

Officials said that Afghan protesters gather near   French, Norwegian and US bases, adding that three people were killed, taking the toll of the two-day outrage to 12.

At the meantime, two NATO occupation troops killed by an Afghan soldier have been identified as Americans, an Afghan official said.

"As the protesters approached the American base here an ANA (Afghan) soldier in the base opened fire on American soldiers, killing two soldiers," said the district chief of Khogyani in eastern Nangarhar province, Mohammad Hassan.

NATO's US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said two of its service members were killed in eastern Afghanistan by "an individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform" who turned his weapon against the troops.

Asked whether the shooting was connected to anti-American protests, an ISAF spokesman said only: "There was a demonstration in the province."

Afghan troops defending a foreign base in eastern Nangarhar province "joined demonstrators and opened fire on foreign troops", the Afghan Islamic Press news agency quoted one protester as saying.