A top US commander in Afghanistan has apologized after a ‘highly offensive’ leaflet sparked outrage – and a bomb attack on a US airbase.
The leaflet, distributed in Parwan province, north of Kabul by US forces on Monday, showed what was intended to be the Taliban flag projected onto the side of a dog – an animal considered unclean in Islam.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the flag at all, but the Shahada, a profession of faith to God and Mohammed that looks similar to the untrained eye – so the combination of animal and script was highly offensive to locals.
In response to the leaflet, the Taliban then sent a suicide bomber on a motorbike to attack a US airbase, injuring four people, CBS News reported.
US forces have apologized for this leaflet; the writing is a Taliban flag that contains a quote from the Quran about Allah and Muhammad. Dogs are considered unclean in Islam
The Taliban’s white flag has black Arabic script that reads: ‘I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and that Muhammad is his servant and Messenger.’
Some of that text is replicated in the Shahada, which is formed from two verses in the Quran: ‘There is no god but God. Muhammad is the messenger of God.’
The Shahada is counted as the first of the five pillars of faith in Sunni Islam, and is whispered into the ear of newborn babies and dying people.
So putting that text written on a dog about to be eaten by a lion – as seen in the leaflet on this Twitter feed – was something of a faux pas.
On Wednesday Major General James Linder apologized in a statement, saying: ‘The design of the leaflets mistakenly contained an image highly offensive to both Muslims and the religion of Islam.
Major General James Linder apologized for the leaflet, which offended locals with its juxtaposition of dogs and holy scripture. But the Taliban responded violently
‘I sincerely apologize. We have the deepest respect for Islam and our Muslim partners worldwide.’
That came the same day a man on a motorbike detonated a bomb outside Bagram Air Base outside Kabul, injuring four – none of whom were US forces, according to Bagram district chief Abdul Shukor Qudos.
Quick to seize on the propaganda blunder, the Taliban also issued a statement saying the leaflet made clear ‘that this war is a war between Islam and unbelief’.
And a Taliban Twitter account said the leaflet proved that ‘American invaders are the enemies of our religion.’
‘Now you must have realized that the Mujahideen [Taliban] are protecting our faith and the country,’ it said.
Locals in Parwan Province were furious, said Shah Wali Shahid, the area’s deputy governor.
‘Local people are very upset with this incident, and they want the perpetrators brought to justice,’ he said, adding that protests across the province were expected.
Parwan Governor Mohammad Hasem was more vociferous, condemning the leaflet as ‘unforgivable’.
‘Those who have committed this unforgivable mistake in the publicity, propaganda or media section of the coalition forces will be tried and punished,’ he said.
Linder said an investigation would be held ‘to determine the cause of this incident and to hold the responsible party accountable’.
On Wednesday evening, Bagram Air Force Base was attacked by a suicide bomber who injured four. The Taliban said that was retaliation for the poster. None of those injured were US forces
The incident highlights one of the challenges facing international forces in Afghanistan, most of which are from non-Muslim cultures, despite the efforts Western forces have generally taken to avoid stoking anti-foreigner sentiment.
In 2012, US commanders were forced to apologize after copies of the Quran and other religious texts were mistakenly burned at Bagram Air Base.
The incident sparked large demonstrations in Kabul and other provinces in which several people were killed.
On another occasion, a film of US Marines urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters caused widespread offence, prompting an investigation and criminal charges.
So-called information operations conducted by government and coalition forces have long been used to try to persuade local people to turn against the Taliban and other insurgent groups.
Above the picture of a lion and the dog, the leaflet urged people to report insurgents to the authorities.
‘Take back your freedom from the terrorist dogs and cooperate with coalition forces so they can target your enemy and eliminate them,’ it said.
The US has had trouble upsetting locals with insensitive behavior before. Pictured: Pro-Taliban supporters burning a US flag