British troops called in after cartoon riot

A video grab shows Afghan protesters throwing stones outside a NATO peacekeeping base in Maymana, Afghanistan. Picture / Reuters

KABUL - British troops have been rushed to an Afghan town after Nato forces came under attack and three people were killed during continuing protests at the publication of cartoons about the Prophet Muhammad.

One Norwegian and two Finnish soldiers were injured after a crowd of 300 stormed a base at Meymaneh, north Afghanistan, and troops came under grenade and gunfire attack.

The exchange of fire which followed killed three people and injured 22 others in the the Afghan crowd.

The British Quick Reaction Force were sent to secure an airfield near the town to complete the evacuation of United Nations personnel and also prepare for the deployment of American A-10 "tankbuster" warplanes.

The Meymaneh violence is the worst experienced in the country so far in protest at the publication of the cartoon caricatures of Muhammad.

With at least nine people killed in protests, Denmark's Prime Minister yesterday appealed for calm.

"We are now facing a growing global crisis," said Anders Rasmussen. He said his Government could not apologise for the actions of the press.

In Australia, Queensland Premier Peter Beattie strongly supported press freedom after the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin joined Brisbane's Courier-Mail in publishing one of 12 cartoons.

"Nobody is off limits. I am not off limits. Christ is not off limits. No one's off limits. We all know that," Beattie said.

- INDEPENDENT, AAP