Kabul hotel siege ends; five civilians and four gunmen killed, 160 rescued
Kabul, Jan 21 (IBNS) A nightlong siege of Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul ended with the Afghan forces eliminating the terrorists but not before five civilians, including a foreign woman, was killed by gunmen in the Afghan capital, officials said.
Four of the gunmen were killed in the operation in which the forces freed some 160 hostages held inside for 12 hours, the interior ministry said.
The twitter handle of the ministry and its website said four terrorists were killed and five civilians, including a foreign woman, died.
Øمله تروریستی بر هوتل انترکانتیننتال درکابل با هلاکت چهار تروریست به پایان رسیدhttps://t.co/SLqgpTy5X5
— Ministry of Interior (@moiafghanistan) January 21, 2018
Among the rescued hostages, about 41 were foreigners. The hotel is known for hosting high profile guests.
No group has claimed responsibility so far for the attack.
The terrorists attacked Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul at about 21:00 local time when the assailants fired at the security guards and hurled grenades to take control of the six-storey building.
Local Khaama Press quoted the Ministry of Interior spokesman Najib Danish saying that five people died so far while six others have been wounded. Later a report in Afghan media said ten were injured while BBC put the death toll of civilians at six.
The eyewitnesses in the area told Khaama Press that a section of the hotel has also caught fire.
Several people were killed in a similar attack on Intercontinental Hotel in 2011.
Image: Khaama Press Screengrab
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