“When we learned of these actions, we immediately intervened and stopped them,” Allen said in a statement. “We are taking steps to ensure this does not ever happen again. I assure you … I promise you … this was NOT intentional in any way.”…

“People’s sentiments have been hurt,” Wali said. “They are scattered on various sides of the base and we are trying to establish contact with the commander of the base.”

For hours on Tuesday morning, protesters threw rocks at the base, breaking windows in some buildings. Many of the protesters were local employees of the U.S. military who, feeling betrayed, chanted “long live Islam” and “death to America.”

The road leading to the base was blocked, as Afghan and Western security forces gathered near the front gate of the base to try and stop the protesters from forcing their way in. Hundreds of Afghans who live in Kabul but work on the base had no way to reach their jobs.