An Afghan soldier has shot dead two Nato troops in response to the burning of the Koran at a Nato base.

The killings came hours after the Taliban urged Afghans to target foreign military bases and kill Westerners in retaliation for the burning of copies of the Muslim holy book at Bagram airfield on Tuesday.

Eleven people have died in demonstrations across the country since Tuesday and 17 people have been wounded.

Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of several cities, chanting "Death to America!" and smashing cars, buildings and shops.

During a demonstration in eastern Nangarhar province yesterday, the Afghan soldier turned his gun on Nato troops. The soldier then escaped.

Nato confirmed a man in Afghan army uniform killed two of its soldiers, but declined to say if it was connected to the protests.

The burning of the Korans at the vast Bagram base north of Kabul, which the US said was unintentional, could make it even more difficult for US-led Nato forces to win the support of Afghans and bring the Taliban to the negotiating table ahead of the withdrawal of foreign soldiers by the end of 2014.

Muslims consider the Koran the word of God and treat each copy with reverence. Desecration is considered one of the worst forms of blasphemy.

A protest of around 500 people also turned violent in the capital Kabul, with gunfire crackling above the city as police and plain-clothed intelligence officers charged at demonstrators wearing bandanas and hurling rocks and sticks.

Most Westerners were confined to their fortified compounds, including the US embassy complex and nearby embassies in Kabul.