NATO officials say someone wearing an Afghan army uniform has shot dead two coalition service members in eastern Afghanistan, while protests over the burning of Qurans at a NATO facility continued for a third day. It was not immediately clear if the NATO deaths Thursday were related to the demonstrations that have erupted across the country. But the Taliban issued a statement earlier calling on Afghans to launch attacks on foreign targets in retaliation for the desecration of the Muslim holy book. Hundreds of protesters attacked a U.S.-run base in eastern Laghman province, where they stormed the walls and threw rocks. In northern Baghlan province, officials said gunfire killed one protester and wounded at least two police officers.
Meanwhile, Afghan President Hamid Karzai's office said it has received a letter from U.S. President Barack Obama formally apologizing for the incident.
In the letter, Obama expresses his "deep regret" and offers his "sincere apologies." He writes that "the error was inadvertent" and that officials will take the "appropriate steps" to avoid any recurrence and hold those accountable responsible.