Hundreds of Afghan protesters took to the streets of Kandahar Monday hours after at least five civilians were killed in a US attack. According to witnesses, US forces opened fire on a passenger bus just as the bus began pulling over to the side of the road to allow another military convoy to pass. Another eighteen civilians were wounded. Protesters burned tires and blocked a main road leading out of Kandahar. One protester said the shootings were unprovoked.

Protester: “The bus carrying civilians was 100 meters away from the convoy of Americans. Despite that, they opened fire on the bus. Sixty passengers were traveling on the bus, six people martyred and eighteen others wounded.”

The Kandahar shooting comes as the US is preparing to launch a major offensive there later this year.