Serena Hotel falls under one of the most secured areas in Kabul
Kabul:
Four gunmen were killed after they entered one of the highest secured areas in Kabul - Serena Hotel - barely 100 metres from Kabul's Presidential Palace late on Thursday night.
However, conflicting reports have emerged from Afghan security forces. The Ministry of Interior said all four, under the age of 18, were killed after they sneaked in with hand-guns, disguised as guests.
The spokesperson, Sediq Sediqi, said they entered hours before the attack with hand-guns hidden in their socks and hid in a washroom. They emerged hours later and started firing in a restaurant packed with Afghans and foreigners.
March 21 is Nowroz - the Persian New Year and the Serena had guests because it was the beginning of the Afghan weekend as well. Mr Sediqi added only two guards were injured in a gun-fight. The Afghan Intelligence service though, initially, said one person was injured after guards inside the luxury hotel got in to an argument.
According to sources inside the hotel, there were Indians in the Serena, but all are safe and left after the hotel was secured. But, contradicting the interior ministry official, sources inside also told NDTV they saw at least seven bodies in the restaurant, including those of two children. It was not clear whether the four gunmen were among the seven bodies.
Guests rushed in to bunkers
Guests and lodgers at the Serena were quickly ushered into safe rooms or bunkers after small-arms firing broke out in a restaurant on the ground floor. Special forces and police got the situation under control a few hours later, killing all four gunmen. The Deputy Minister of Interior was present during the attack and went to the bunkers to assure all guests of their safety.
Taliban claim responsibility
The Taliban claimed responsibility saying they attacked a party of foreign and Afghan officials inflicting many casualties. The Taliban spokesperson also claimed all their fighters entered through a secret entrance hinting at inside help. The Serena is one of the most secure areas in Kabul and one can't get a vehicle in unless one has security clearance. Entering on foot, one has to go through three gates and checks with metal detectors and mandatory frisking. The Taliban have warned of an increase in attacks ahead of the presidential polls on April 5. On Thursday morning, a multiple suicide attack killed 10 policemen and a university student in Jalalabad, the capital of the eastern province of Nangarhar.
However, conflicting reports have emerged from Afghan security forces. The Ministry of Interior said all four, under the age of 18, were killed after they sneaked in with hand-guns, disguised as guests.
The spokesperson, Sediq Sediqi, said they entered hours before the attack with hand-guns hidden in their socks and hid in a washroom. They emerged hours later and started firing in a restaurant packed with Afghans and foreigners.
March 21 is Nowroz - the Persian New Year and the Serena had guests because it was the beginning of the Afghan weekend as well. Mr Sediqi added only two guards were injured in a gun-fight. The Afghan Intelligence service though, initially, said one person was injured after guards inside the luxury hotel got in to an argument.
According to sources inside the hotel, there were Indians in the Serena, but all are safe and left after the hotel was secured. But, contradicting the interior ministry official, sources inside also told NDTV they saw at least seven bodies in the restaurant, including those of two children. It was not clear whether the four gunmen were among the seven bodies.
Guests rushed in to bunkers
Guests and lodgers at the Serena were quickly ushered into safe rooms or bunkers after small-arms firing broke out in a restaurant on the ground floor. Special forces and police got the situation under control a few hours later, killing all four gunmen. The Deputy Minister of Interior was present during the attack and went to the bunkers to assure all guests of their safety.
Taliban claim responsibility
The Taliban claimed responsibility saying they attacked a party of foreign and Afghan officials inflicting many casualties. The Taliban spokesperson also claimed all their fighters entered through a secret entrance hinting at inside help. The Serena is one of the most secure areas in Kabul and one can't get a vehicle in unless one has security clearance. Entering on foot, one has to go through three gates and checks with metal detectors and mandatory frisking. The Taliban have warned of an increase in attacks ahead of the presidential polls on April 5. On Thursday morning, a multiple suicide attack killed 10 policemen and a university student in Jalalabad, the capital of the eastern province of Nangarhar.
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