– TALIBAN LAUNCHED AUDACIOUS ATTACK ON HOTEL IN KABUL

Published June 29, 2011

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NATO-ISAF helicopters have killed militants on the roof of Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel, which is popular with Westerners, after an attack by suicide bombers and gunmen, on late Tuesday 06/28/2011 night, left at least seven people dead. Two helicopters shot dead three attackers at the hotel’s roof during an overnight stand-off lasting nearly five hours (sse also – Kabul 04.27.11).

The hotel is popular with Westerners, although all guests are reported safe. Afghan security officials said at least six militants stormed the hotel and all were killed. A spokesman for the Taliban said they carried out the attack. But Afghan security officials said the raid bears the hallmarks of the Jalaluddin Haqqani’s network, allied to the Taliban but operates independently. The group is based in FATA region of North Waziristan, Pakistan (see -Ambiguous Ties).

Interior ministry spokesman Siddiq Siddiqi told AFP that all those killed were Afghans, and that eight other people had been wounded. He said the figures did not include the insurgents.

The attack began while many guests were in the dining room of the hotel late on Tuesday. One suicide bomber blew himself up at the front of the hotel and another on the second floor. the attackers had hand-grenades, rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47s. Kabul police chief Gen Ayub Salangi said later that one of the attackers managed to survive the assault by hiding in a hotel room. He detonated his explosive vest at around 0700 local time, after the fighting was thought to have ended, killing two policemen and a Spanish guest, and injuring three others, the police chief said.

Witnesses said panic broke out as guests fled for safety. Officials said a meeting of provincial governors taking place at the hotel might have been the target of the attack. Afghan troops and police sealed off the hotel and cut the power, using flares to light the area.

Afghan police said one militant was shot dead as security forces fought their way through the hotel. Three attackers managed to reach the roof and Afghan officials then asked NATO-ISAF for assistance, security sources told the BBC. NATO spokesman Major Tim James said those killed on the roof appeared to have been wearing suicide vests.

The attack also came the night before the start of a conference about the transition of responsibility for security from NATO-ISAF to Afghan security forces.

Correspondents say the Intercontinental is one of Kabul’s most heavily guarded hotels. Kabul has been relatively stable in recent months, although violence has increased across the country since the Abbottabad Raid and the killing of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan on 05/02/2011, and the start of the Taliban’s “Spring-Offensive”. Eventually 9 militants, 11 civilians and 2 Afghan policemen were killed in the event.

In January 2008, militants stormed the capital’s most popular luxury hotel, the Serena, and killed eight people, including an American, a Norwegian and a Philippine woman (see – Kabul NORWAYS Embassy).

The beginning of USA withdrawal from Afghanistan is scheduled to the end of this week, 07/01/2011. It was predicted that the Taliban will carry out high profile attacks to portray NATO withdrawal as a result of their victory (see -Obamas Withdrawal).

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