KABUL – The Kabul Intercontinental Hotel attack is still in progress as atleast two attackers are still inside the hotel and fighting the securityforces. It was reported earlier that the death toll is 6 but now the Afghanmedia sources have revealed at least 18 confirmed casualties however theactual numbers are much higher than that.
Earlier it was reported that after a 17-hour stand-off against insurgents,security forces were finally able to bring the Intercontinental Hotel inKabul under their control and gun down all attackers.
Sources told TOLOnews that at least 18 people were killed in the attack.
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Interior confirmed that at least fivepeople, including the head of Farah’s telecommunication department,Jamaluddin Padshahkhil, and one foreigner, were killed and six wounded inthe siege.
However, about 10 minutes later, TOLOnews journalist Sharif Amiry reportedthat gunshots and explosives were once again being heard. Danish howeversaid the siege had ended and security forces were conducting a clearanceoperation.
During the night, reports emerged from survivors who had escaped the siege,with many reporting that the attackers had set fires in the hotel.
Dramatic footage captured by TOLOnews shortly after 8am showed desperateguests trying to escape the fire by swinging off a top-floor balcony whileusing a blanket. One man is seen plummeting to the ground. No details havebeen released on his condition.
The siege stated at about 9pm on Saturday night when at least three gunmenstormed the hotel.
Terrified civilians inside the hotel reached out to friends and familyappealing for help as the gunmen forced their way through the kitchen andinto the hotel with guns blazing. Some eyewitnesses said the gunmen hadbeing going room-to-room in search of guests.
Throughout the night staff and guests managed to escape bit by bit butsecurity forces rescued a total of 126 people by 9.30am on Sunday. Of thepeople rescued, 41 were foreign nationals.
Dozens of people who had friends and family trapped inside the hotelgathered through the night in below freezing temperatures waiting for newsof their loved ones.
Many said they had made contact up to a point but that phones eventuallyweren’t being answered or were switched off. Desperate for news thesefamilies waited for hours.
Throughout the night, except for a two hour lull between 2am and 4am, heavygunfights and explosions prevailed.
Shortly after 4am additional special forces were sent in. They ramped upthe operation and heavy shooting resumed.
This carried on for another few hours and at 7am another batch of specialforces and foreign troops moved in.
By 8am five of the six stories of the hotel had been cleared.
By 10am, special forces could be seen sweeping the roof of the hotel whilefirefighters tried to extinguish the blaze which has caused serious damageto the building.
Saturday night’s siege was not the first for this hotel. In June 2011, nineinsurgents carried out a similar attack that lasted for five hours andresulted in the death of 12 people.
President Ashraf Ghani in a statement condemned the attack and called forregional and international consensus against states which sponsor andharbor terrorists.
The president assigned a team to investigate the incident.
Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah also condemned the attack and commendedsecurity forces for saving civilians trapped inside the hotel following theincident.
“I commend the Afghan Forces for their bravery & professional action ofrescuing over a 100 civilians and killing all terrorists in the insaneattack on Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul. I condemn the attack & condolewith the victim families” Abdullah tweeted.
Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. The group claimed that fiveattackers were involved in the siege.