Attack on a Hotel in Kabul Ends with the Death of Attackers After Hours

A nighttime attack on a hotel in the predominantly diplomatic area of Kabul ended with the death of four attackers after hours of fighting and gunfire. Radio Free Europe’s Dari and Pashto sections reported, citing Kabul police spokesman Abadullah Karimi, that a guesthouse was believed to be the target of the attack. The Taliban, which had previously announced a wave of new attacks in the spring, claimed responsibility for the assault. Government officials stated that no military or civilian casualties occurred at the site. Mohammad Ayoub Salangi, the Deputy Minister of Interior, mentioned on his Facebook page that the attackers had an RPG, three Kalashnikovs, and a grenade launcher. He also noted that military forces acted 'with restraint' and 'prevented casualties.' The fighting around the guesthouse, reportedly belonging to the Rabbani family, lasted until the early hours of June 6. AFP reported that explosions were heard in the late hours of Tuesday in a neighborhood in Wazir Akbar Khan. Police and security forces cordoned off the area as the attack began. Since NATO ended its combat mission in Afghanistan, militants have carried out a series of attacks in Kabul and other Afghan cities. Last Monday, during an attack by insurgents on police checkpoints in Helmand, at least 26 police officers and soldiers were killed. A week prior, in a suicide attack for which the Taliban claimed responsibility near Kabul airport, at least 2 people were killed and 21 injured. Shortly before that, an attack on a hotel in Kabul resulted in at least 14 deaths, including one American and two Indian citizens. In another suicide attack in Kabul targeting a bus carrying prosecution staff, 19 people were killed and injured. All these recent attacks have occurred within a span of approximately two weeks. Additionally, a police base in Helmand was besieged following the killing of 19 police officers.