Offensive balls wrong-foot US

KABUL - The United States military in Afghanistan yesterday expressed regret for a publicity campaign aimed at winning hearts and minds that ended up offending scores of Muslims.

At the weekend US troops dropped dozens of free footballs for soccer-mad Afghan children from helicopters in an area of southeastern Afghanistan, all marked with flags of various countries.

But the balls depicted the Saudi Arabian flag, which features the Islamic declaration of faith and includes the names of Allah and the prophet Mohammed.

The idea of kicking something bearing their names is deeply offensive to Muslims. The latest gaffe coincides with rising anger over the deaths of more than 350 civilians this year by Western troops.

- Reuters