Taliban attack on Afghan hotel ends, 18 dead

KABUL: A Taliban assault on the Intercontinental Hotel in Afghanistan's capital killed a minimum of 18 folks, together with 14 foreigners, and pinned safety forces down for more than 13 hours prior to the final attacker used to be killed on Sunday, with the casualty toll expected to upward thrust.
The heavily-guarded luxury hotel is well-liked among foreigners and Afghan officials. Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the 18 killed integrated 14 foreigners and a telecommunications reliable from the western Farah province who used to be attending a convention.

"11 of the 14 foreigners killed were employees of KamAir, a private Afghan airline," said Danish. KamAir additionally put out a statement saying some of their flights have been disrupted as a result of the assault.

Ukraine says considered one of its citizens used to be killed in the assault. Vasyl Kyrylych, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, announced the death of the Ukrainian citizen in a temporary commentary on Twitter, without providing further details. Afghan officials did not determine the foreigner killed in the assault.

Ten folks, together with six from the security forces, have been reported wounded and more than 150 folks, together with 41 foreigners, have been rescued from the hotel, Danish said.

The Taliban claimed the assault, which started round nine PM the day gone by, saying five gunmen armed with suicide vests focused foreigners and Afghan officials.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the insurgents to start with planned to assault the hotel Thursday night time however postponed the assault as a result of there used to be a wedding underway they usually sought after to keep away from civilian casualties.

The assault opened up almost six years after Taliban insurgents introduced a an identical assault on the belongings, which is not a part of the Intercontinental chain of globally resorts.

The Interior Ministry said a non-public firm assumed responsibility for securing the hotel round three weeks ago.

The ministry says it is investigating how the attackers managed to go into the construction.

During a press convention, Danish said that early investigations display that six insurgents entered the hotel from the northern aspect and stormed its kitchen. Two attackers have been killed through Special Forces on the 6th flooring of the hotel.

"We need to complete our investigation, but our initial reports show that the attackers were moved in to the hotel," said Danish.

Mumtaz Ahmad, a provincial telecommunication worker for Helmand province who survivor the assault said "I was on my way from my room toward the reception, when I the elevator door opened, I saw two-armed suicide bombers. People were escaping and the attackers were firing at them."

Afghan safety officials showed that 34 provincial officials have been amassed on the hotel to take part in a convention organised through the Telecommunication Ministry.

A hearth broke out on the hotel as the fighting raged, and the sound of explosions may well be heard all the way through the standoff. Live TV photos confirmed folks trying to escape thru home windows on the upper tales.

Capt. Tom Gresback, spokesman for NATO-led forces, said in a commentary that Afghan forces have been leading the response efforts. He said that in keeping with preliminary reviews, no overseas troops have been hurt in the assault.

Neighboring Pakistan condemned the "brutal terrorist attack" and known as for higher cooperation towards militants. Afghanistan and Pakistan routinely accuse each other of failing to fight extremists along their long and porous border.

Afghan forces have struggled to fight the Taliban since the United States and NATO formally concluded their fight mission on the finish of 2014. They have additionally had to cope with a rising Islamic State associate that has performed quite a few large assaults lately.

In the northern Balkh province, insurgents burst into a house where several contributors of a neighborhood pro-government armed forces have been amassed late Saturday, leading them outdoor and killing 18 of them, said Gen. Abdul Razeq Qaderi, the deputy provincial police chief. Among those killed used to be a tribal chief who served as the native police commander, he said.


In the western Farah province, a roadside bomb killed a deputy provincial police chief and wounded 4 other police early Sunday, in keeping with Gen. Mahruf Folad, the provincial police chief.


The Taliban claimed each assaults.


In the western Herat province, a roadside bomb struck a vehicle carrying 13 civilians, killing all however considered one of them, said Abdul Ahad Walizada, a spokesman for the provincial police chief. No one straight away claimed the assault, however Walizada blamed Taliban insurgents, who ceaselessly plant roadside bombs to target Afghan safety forces.



Taliban attack on Afghan hotel ends, 18 dead Taliban attack on Afghan hotel ends, 18 dead Reviewed by Kailash on January 22, 2018 Rating: 5
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