In 26/11 style attack, Taliban gunmen in army uniforms storm Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel, battle Afghan special forces in overnight siege, which ends 13 hours later
An Afghan security personnel stands guard as smoke billows from the Intercontinental Hotel. Pic/AFP
A Taliban assault on the Intercontinental Hotel in Afghanistan's capital killed at least 18 people, including 14 foreigners, and pinned security forces down for more than 13 hours before the last attacker was killed yesterday, with the casualty toll expected to rise. The heavily-guarded luxury hotel is popular among foreigners and Afghan officials. Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the 18 killed included 14 foreigners and a telecommunications official from the western Farah province who was attending a conference.
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"11 of the 14 foreigners killed were employees of KamAir, a private Afghan airline," said Danish. KamAir also put out an announcement saying some of their flights were disrupted because of the attack. Ukraine says one of its citizens was killed in the attack. Afghan officials did not identify the foreigner killed in the attack. Ten other people, including six from the security forces, were reported wounded and more than 150 people, including 41 foreigners, were rescued from the hotel, Danish said.
The Taliban claimed the attack, which began around 9 pm on Saturday, saying five gunmen armed with suicide vests targeted foreigners and Afghan officials. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the insurgents initially planned to attack the hotel Thursday night but postponed the assault because there was a wedding underway and they wanted to avoid civilian casualties.
Roadside bomb
kills 12 civilians An Afghan official says a roadside bomb has killed at least 12 civilians in the western Heart province. Abdul Ahad Walizada, a spokesman for the provincial police chief, says a 13th person was wounded in the explosion early Sunday, which struck a vehicle in the Gulran district. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
18 No. of people killed
150 Number of people who fled the hotel
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