Demonstrators in Kabul protest against ethnic discrimination

Several hundreds of demonstrators on Saturday staged a protest in Afghan capital Kabul, demanding the government to act against those who are inciting ethnic rivalry and undermine the "national unity" in the war-torn country. The demonstrators chanted slogans "we want national unity" and "government should stop acts that result in ethnic strife" during the protest held near the parliament building in western Kabul. The protest came days after serious debates in the country's parliament over putting ethnic identities besides the national identities in the first ever electronic identification cards to be issued in months. Following the arguments in the parliament, a number of local analysts made controversial comments in a local TV channel about some certain ethnics which led to public anger in parts of the country. On Thursday, Afghan President Hamid Karzai issued a strict warning to specific local media outlets which he said was inciting ethnic strife and trying to weaken the national unity in the country. The protest was dispersed peacefully later on the day.