Up to seven supporters of an ousted Afghan governor were killed and 20 wounded on Sunday in clashes with police and US troops in the western city of Herat, which was placed under night curfew.

The curfew order from the city's army commander came after hundreds of supporters of Ismail Khan, sacked by President Hamid Karzai on Saturday as part of his election pledge to rein in warlords, burned and looted UN offices and set fire to the Pakistani consulate.

Doctors said up to seven of Khan's supporters were killed and 50 wounded in clashes with police, soldiers and US troops trying to restore order, less than a month before Afghanistan's first presidential elections on October 9.

The US military said 15 of its soldiers were injured in the clashes, two of whom were evacuated for treatment, along with two Afghan national army servicemen.

The UN said its staff were evacuated to the American base in the city and none was hurt.

Several protesters said that they were wounded by American soldiers, but US military spokesman Major Mark McCann said he had no reports of US troops engaging the crowd.

Small-arms fire and explosions could still be heard round the city in the evening but the protesters appeared to have dispersed and calm returned as the curfew came into force at 9:00 PM (12:30 PM EDT).

State-run Herat TV broadcast an official announcement from the city's army commander banning all gatherings, but ordering all military servicemen and civil servants to work on Monday.

It warned that from Monday "any disorder will face military action and until further notice, any gathering is forbidden."

It blamed the unrest on "irresponsible individuals" who "took advantage of the situation and inflicted damage on the UN and some other institutions."

The announcement was preceded by a statement from Khan -- whose replacement, former ambassador to Ukraine Sayed Mohammad Khairkhwa, arrived in Herat on Sunday -- calling for restraint on the part of the protesters and the national army.

Call for restraint

"We hope you show restraint and try to ensure that by no means insecurity is created, and that your patience and forbearing bring stability and security," Khan said.

Khan's supporters had shouted "Death to Karzai" and "Death to America" before setting fire to the offices of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Assistance Mission and the UN Development Program.

The Herat unrest may dent President Bush's hopes for a peaceful Afghan election to offset bad news from Iraq and provide a fillip for his own re-election chances in November.

But US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad expressed optimism that the situation would improve, telling a news conference: "We just have to ride out the initial bumps."

UN Special Representative Jean Arnault said before Sunday's violence that replacing governor had boosted the chances of a peaceful election.

Khalilzad, a close Karzai confidant, praised security forces for restraint and said of Khan's replacement and other recent changes: "I think it's sent a clear message of where Afghanistan is headed and how you can be a part of the future of Afghanistan."

A doctor at Herat's central hospital reported seven dead protesters, but later another said a total of four dead had been brought there on Sunday and after another day of protests on Saturday, while 50 people were being treated for shrapnel or gunshots, some of whom were seriously hurt.

Karzai said Afghans had the right to protest peacefully.

"(But) anyone who resorts to violence against the United Nations..., these are rioters hurting the Afghan people and we will deal with them strongly," he said.

Karzai, named interim president in 2002 after a US-led invasion toppled the Taliban as punishment for protecting Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda, faces 17 rivals in the vote.

(China Daily via agencies September 13, 2004)