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| Taliban suicide attackers kill 14 at Kabul restaurant | Taliban suicide attackers kill 14 at Kabul restaurant |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A Briton was among 14 victims of a Taliban suicide squad that burst into a Kabul restaurant on Friday evening and gunned down the diners. | A Briton was among 14 victims of a Taliban suicide squad that burst into a Kabul restaurant on Friday evening and gunned down the diners. |
| The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Afghanistan was killed and the UN confirmed three of its staff died in what was an unusually violent attack at the heart of the heavily fortified diplomatic quarter. | |
| Targeting civilians in a lightly protected restaurant was a clear statement of insurgent intent in a year critical for Afghanistan's future. | Targeting civilians in a lightly protected restaurant was a clear statement of insurgent intent in a year critical for Afghanistan's future. |
| Mohammad Zahir, the Kabul police chief, said there were both foreigners and Afghans among the 14 dead and 4 wounded, but declined to give further information. | Mohammad Zahir, the Kabul police chief, said there were both foreigners and Afghans among the 14 dead and 4 wounded, but declined to give further information. |
| The Foreign Office confirmed that a Briton was killed, but declined to provide further details. | The Foreign Office confirmed that a Briton was killed, but declined to provide further details. |
| "Three United Nations personnel, along with a number of those from other international organisations, are now confirmed dead," UN spokesman Farhan Haq said in a statement. | |
| A presidential election in April will select the country's first new ruler in more than a decade, and foreign combat troops finish their mission, leaving the Afghan police and army to battle the Taliban alone. | A presidential election in April will select the country's first new ruler in more than a decade, and foreign combat troops finish their mission, leaving the Afghan police and army to battle the Taliban alone. |
| Friday's attack began with a bomb blast that shook the Wazir Akbar Khan neighbourhood shortly after 7pm, as one attacker apparently detonated his explosives at the restaurant's front gate. | Friday's attack began with a bomb blast that shook the Wazir Akbar Khan neighbourhood shortly after 7pm, as one attacker apparently detonated his explosives at the restaurant's front gate. |
| V V sad news Kabul. Our dear Lebanese friend Kamal, the kindest of hosts, was killed in #Taliban attack Kabul. #Afghanistan was his home. | V V sad news Kabul. Our dear Lebanese friend Kamal, the kindest of hosts, was killed in #Taliban attack Kabul. #Afghanistan was his home. |
| It was followed by more than two hours of sporadic gunfire, as Afghan commandos besieged two other attackers who reportedly stole through a back entrance and holed up inside. | It was followed by more than two hours of sporadic gunfire, as Afghan commandos besieged two other attackers who reportedly stole through a back entrance and holed up inside. |
| "Damn! Never experienced so close an attack. Shootings and screams of horror in the street. Broken windows in our house!" one Afghan who lives near the restaurant posted on Facebook. | "Damn! Never experienced so close an attack. Shootings and screams of horror in the street. Broken windows in our house!" one Afghan who lives near the restaurant posted on Facebook. |
| The Taliban rapidly claimed responsibility, saying they had targeted "foreign invaders", although the Nato mission said there were no soldiers at the restaurant when the assault began. | The Taliban rapidly claimed responsibility, saying they had targeted "foreign invaders", although the Nato mission said there were no soldiers at the restaurant when the assault began. |
| The restaurant's popular owner, Lebanese citizen Kamal Hamade, was among the dead. "VV sad news Kabul. Our dear Lebanese friend Kamal, the kindest of hosts, was killed in Taliban attack," BBC journalist Lyse Doucet said on Twitter. | The restaurant's popular owner, Lebanese citizen Kamal Hamade, was among the dead. "VV sad news Kabul. Our dear Lebanese friend Kamal, the kindest of hosts, was killed in Taliban attack," BBC journalist Lyse Doucet said on Twitter. |
| The IMF said their country head was also a victim. Lebanese citizen Wabel Abdallah had worked in Afghanistan since 2008. | The IMF said their country head was also a victim. Lebanese citizen Wabel Abdallah had worked in Afghanistan since 2008. |
| "This is tragic news, and we at the fund are all devastated," managing director Christine Lagarde said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to Wabel's family and friends, as well as the other victims of this attack." | "This is tragic news, and we at the fund are all devastated," managing director Christine Lagarde said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to Wabel's family and friends, as well as the other victims of this attack." |
| The UN said four of its employees were thought to have been in "close proximity" to the attack, and were still unaccounted for several hours later. The UN boss in Afghanistan, Jan Kubis, condemned the attack and targeting of civilians. "This violence is unacceptable and must stop immediately," he said in a statement. | The UN said four of its employees were thought to have been in "close proximity" to the attack, and were still unaccounted for several hours later. The UN boss in Afghanistan, Jan Kubis, condemned the attack and targeting of civilians. "This violence is unacceptable and must stop immediately," he said in a statement. |
| If the UN staff are confirmed as victims of the trio of attackers, it would make it the deadliest day for the UN in Afghanistan in nearly three years. | If the UN staff are confirmed as victims of the trio of attackers, it would make it the deadliest day for the UN in Afghanistan in nearly three years. |
| In April 2011 a rioting mob overran a compound in northern Mazar-e-Sharif city, killing three UN workers and four Nepalese security guards. Eighteen months earlier in autumn 2009 five UN workers were killed in Kabul when gunmen burst into a guesthouse for the organisation's staff. | In April 2011 a rioting mob overran a compound in northern Mazar-e-Sharif city, killing three UN workers and four Nepalese security guards. Eighteen months earlier in autumn 2009 five UN workers were killed in Kabul when gunmen burst into a guesthouse for the organisation's staff. |
| The deaths had a far-reaching impact on how the UN and many other international organisations worked in the Afghan capital. | The deaths had a far-reaching impact on how the UN and many other international organisations worked in the Afghan capital. |
| Although there are regular attacks on targets in the Afghan capital, it is rare for would-be attackers to make it through rings of security around the city, elude an extensive intelligence network, and strike at a civilian target around the unofficial "green zone" that houses Nato and US embassy headquarters. | Although there are regular attacks on targets in the Afghan capital, it is rare for would-be attackers to make it through rings of security around the city, elude an extensive intelligence network, and strike at a civilian target around the unofficial "green zone" that houses Nato and US embassy headquarters. |
| A single suicide attacker killed an Afghan family, including a human rights chief, with a bomb at a nearby supermarket three years ago, but security has been tightened since then at most places frequented by the Afghan elite or foreigners. | A single suicide attacker killed an Afghan family, including a human rights chief, with a bomb at a nearby supermarket three years ago, but security has been tightened since then at most places frequented by the Afghan elite or foreigners. |
| Friday's target, the Taverna restaurant, was a low-key but well-loved venue usually busy on a Friday, the Afghan weekend. It had guards with AK-47s and an air-lock entry system of steel gates, but those precautions would have been little match for a heavily armed suicide squad. | Friday's target, the Taverna restaurant, was a low-key but well-loved venue usually busy on a Friday, the Afghan weekend. It had guards with AK-47s and an air-lock entry system of steel gates, but those precautions would have been little match for a heavily armed suicide squad. |
| The area is packed with the homes of the Afghan elite, guesthouses for foreigners and offices of international organisations. Many streets are patrolled by police guards, but a well-prepared group could weave through back streets and avoid them. | The area is packed with the homes of the Afghan elite, guesthouses for foreigners and offices of international organisations. Many streets are patrolled by police guards, but a well-prepared group could weave through back streets and avoid them. |
| Afghan families missing loved ones gathered outside the restaurant hoping for news. Ajmal was looking for his father Mohammad Ali, an employee of a telecoms firm. | Afghan families missing loved ones gathered outside the restaurant hoping for news. Ajmal was looking for his father Mohammad Ali, an employee of a telecoms firm. |
| "My dad called home this afternoon and said 'you guys have your dinner without me, because I am going to a restaurant with my friends'," said Ajmal. He saw a friend of his father carried out injured. "His friend was seriously wounded in his leg. My father has disappeared and we are very worried." | "My dad called home this afternoon and said 'you guys have your dinner without me, because I am going to a restaurant with my friends'," said Ajmal. He saw a friend of his father carried out injured. "His friend was seriously wounded in his leg. My father has disappeared and we are very worried." |
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