KABUL, May 15th (Pajhwok Afghan News) -- The minister of Hajj said the Mullahs and spiritual leaders played a role in preventing bloodshed during country-wide demonstrations incited by reports of the desecration of a Holy Quran Koran at a US detention center at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, by preaching against violence during Friday prayers.

In a joint press conference attended by Michael Macey the head of public relations at the American Embassy in Kabul, Nematullah Shahrani the Hajj minister said: "I heard rumors of foreigners being hired to come and join the demonstrations, but this was all in vain."

President Hamid Karzai who was in Europe when the demonstrations erupted, speaking to journalists on his return said there was a foreign hand involved in the protest. According to him, some foreigners don't want to develop a good long-lasting relationship with the United States.

The demonstrations started in eastern Nangarhar by university students on May 10th and the first day ended peacefully without incident. But reports coming on the second day claimed many ordinary people joined in the violent protests that ended in clashes resulting in the deaths of at least 4 and injuring 60 others.

On the third and fourth day the demonstrations spread to other provinces resulting in a death toll of 16 people and nearly 120 casualties. Shahrani said: "According to initial investigations carried out by Hajj ministry, many other people may have been killed if the violence was not controlled."

Shahrani said the enemies of Afghanistan don't want it to be reconstructed. He said the role of spiritual leaders and Mullah’s played an important role in the future reconstruction and development of the country, but blamed the international donor countries for not assisting the Hajj ministry in their endeavors.