The Taliban claimed responsibility for a deadly 7 hour siege on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan Tuesday night. Eight heavily armed suicide attackers entered the hotel around 10 p.m. after killing security guards, according to Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid.
"One of the suicide attackers told us on the phone that they are in the lobby and chasing guests into their rooms by smashing the doors of the rooms," Mujahid told CNN in an e-mail.
Witnesses have reported the militants going room to room killing hotel guests. “They broke open the doors, brought the people out and killed them. I am a Muslim and I was waiting for my turn,” said Mohammad Salim Taraki, who is the mayor of Herat.
Taraki and other Afghan government officials were at the hotel for a two day conference on the transition of security from international forces to Afghan forces. None of the officials were killed.
At least 10 people, including 2 police officers, were killed. Mohammad Zahir, the chief of criminal investigations in Kabul, said the death toll could rise as authorities were still searching the hotel. Zahir reported at least 12 people were wounded.
All 8 militants were killed, but it unclear how many of them killed themselves by detonating their explosives. At least three of the men shot and killed by Afghan or NATO forces.
Afghan and coalition forces launched counter-strikes against the militants using information collected by a United States drone, according to unidentified coalition officials. The siege ended around 7 a.m.
###
Click here for more World News
