Kabul: Gunmen 'attacking Intercontinental Hotel'

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At least four gunmen have launched an attack on Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel, Afghan officials say.
Special forces were battling the gunmen, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said.
An official at the Afghan spy agency told AFP that the gunmen were "shooting at guests".
The attack began at about 21:00 local time (16:30 GMT), Mr Danish said.

There were no immediate details of casualties.

The attackers appeared to include suicide bombers, Mr Danish was quoted as saying by Reuters.


Security forces were trading fire with them on the hotel's third and fourth floors, another interior ministry spokesman said.
The attackers had set the hotel kitchen on fire, the spokesman added. Meanwhile the hotel's fourth floor was also ablaze, an
official with the National Directorate of Security (NDS) told AFP.

A guest at the hotel told AFP that people were hiding in their rooms.


"I don't know if the attackers are inside the hotel but I can hear gunfire from somewhere near the first floor," the guest said.
"We are hiding in our rooms. I beg the security forces to rescue us as soon as possible before they reach and kill us."
Some reports said the hotel had been hosting an IT conference attended by provincial officials at the time of the attack.


BBC

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Kabul Intercontinental Hotel siege ends with all gunmen killed, Afghanistan Government says

Afghan Special Forces have ended an overnight siege at Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel, killing the last gunman from a group of
three attackers who stormed the hotel and took hostages while battling security forces for hours.

Key points:

• Officials said there were as many as four attackers
• The attackers appeared to have a large supply of hand grenades
• It came just days after the US warned of a potential attack

Two gunmen were killed on Saturday night (local time), though it was initially reported that four gunmen had attacked the hotel.
Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said at least five other people had been killed and six wounded — a lower casualty total
than earlier feared — while 153 people, including 41 foreigners had been evacuated.


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