This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/in-afghanistan-taliban-carry-out-two-attacks-raiding-hotel-police-station-killing-at-least-19/2014/03/21/0be8938e-b0c7-11e3-a49e-76adc9210f19_story.html?wprss=rss_world
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| In Afghanistan, Taliban carry out two attacks, raiding hotel, police station, killing at least 19 | In Afghanistan, Taliban carry out two attacks, raiding hotel, police station, killing at least 19 |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| KABUL — | KABUL — |
| Taliban insurgents exchanged gunfire with security forces inside a posh hotel near the presidential palace in the Afghan capital Thursday, killing nine civilians, just hours after militants killed 10 police officers in a brazen attack farther east. | Taliban insurgents exchanged gunfire with security forces inside a posh hotel near the presidential palace in the Afghan capital Thursday, killing nine civilians, just hours after militants killed 10 police officers in a brazen attack farther east. |
| Thursday’s attacks came on a day when 77 suspected Taliban fighters captured by Western forces were released from prison. | Thursday’s attacks came on a day when 77 suspected Taliban fighters captured by Western forces were released from prison. |
| On Friday as Afghans were marking beginning of near traditional year, explosives, hidden in a fruit box, went off in an area of southern Kandahar, wounding a number of people, including its deputy governor, officials said. | On Friday as Afghans were marking beginning of near traditional year, explosives, hidden in a fruit box, went off in an area of southern Kandahar, wounding a number of people, including its deputy governor, officials said. |
| An Interior Ministry spokesman, Sediq Seddiqi said the strikes were part of an effort to sabotage the April 5 presidential elections, which the Taliban have vowed to derail. | An Interior Ministry spokesman, Sediq Seddiqi said the strikes were part of an effort to sabotage the April 5 presidential elections, which the Taliban have vowed to derail. |
| He said authorities were checking to see if the increase in raids has any links with a truce between the Pakistani Taliban and Islamabad and the closure of religious schools across the border, long used as stronghold for the militants. | He said authorities were checking to see if the increase in raids has any links with a truce between the Pakistani Taliban and Islamabad and the closure of religious schools across the border, long used as stronghold for the militants. |
| Seddiqi said four teenagers armed with pistols and disguised as guests entered the Serena Hotel on Thursday. | Seddiqi said four teenagers armed with pistols and disguised as guests entered the Serena Hotel on Thursday. |
| Hours later, when hotel guests were having dinner, the gunmen opened fire, Seddiqi said. Hotel guards and Afghan security forces rushed the guests to a safe room, but nine guests as well as the assailants were killed in the overnight exchange of fire. Five Afghans also were killed, Seddiqi said Friday. | Hours later, when hotel guests were having dinner, the gunmen opened fire, Seddiqi said. Hotel guards and Afghan security forces rushed the guests to a safe room, but nine guests as well as the assailants were killed in the overnight exchange of fire. Five Afghans also were killed, Seddiqi said Friday. |
| The slain civilians included four foreigners; a woman from Canada, a woman from New Zealand, a man from Pakistan and a second man from India. | |
| Among the Afghan victims were Agence France Presse local journalist Sardar Ahmad, his wife and two of their children, his brother Turaj said by phone. “His other kid is seriously wounded and is in coma,” he said. | Among the Afghan victims were Agence France Presse local journalist Sardar Ahmad, his wife and two of their children, his brother Turaj said by phone. “His other kid is seriously wounded and is in coma,” he said. |
| “They have shown their brutality once again with this attack,” Seddiqi said. | “They have shown their brutality once again with this attack,” Seddiqi said. |
| Six people, including a lawmaker, were wounded, a police officer said. The U.S. embassy said there were no reports of any casualties among its staff. | Six people, including a lawmaker, were wounded, a police officer said. The U.S. embassy said there were no reports of any casualties among its staff. |
| A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said in an e-mail that his group was behind the attack. The Taliban had information that nationals of “occupying countries,” as well as Afghan government officials and some “corrupt” lawmakers, were at the hotel to celebrate the Afghan new year, he said. | A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said in an e-mail that his group was behind the attack. The Taliban had information that nationals of “occupying countries,” as well as Afghan government officials and some “corrupt” lawmakers, were at the hotel to celebrate the Afghan new year, he said. |
| The assailants managed to get their weapons past tight hotel security, including body searches and X-ray machines. | The assailants managed to get their weapons past tight hotel security, including body searches and X-ray machines. |
| Security at the hotel was beefed up after a Taliban suicide attack in 2008 killed seven people. | Security at the hotel was beefed up after a Taliban suicide attack in 2008 killed seven people. |
| The security of the hotel was provided by a private security firm and police were investigating to see if the guards had any hand in the attack, Sediqqi said. | The security of the hotel was provided by a private security firm and police were investigating to see if the guards had any hand in the attack, Sediqqi said. |
| “It is a big question for us that how the attackers despite the tight security measures, managed to take pistols in,” he said. | “It is a big question for us that how the attackers despite the tight security measures, managed to take pistols in,” he said. |
| The attack has sent shockwaves among many Afghans and expatriates and comes weeks after 21 guests, 13 of them foreigners, were killed in a complex attack on a Lebanese restaurant in Kabul’s diplomatic enclave. | The attack has sent shockwaves among many Afghans and expatriates and comes weeks after 21 guests, 13 of them foreigners, were killed in a complex attack on a Lebanese restaurant in Kabul’s diplomatic enclave. |
| Sediqqi said the two attacks on places catering to expatriates represented a “new trend”. | Sediqqi said the two attacks on places catering to expatriates represented a “new trend”. |
| Earlier Thursday, Taliban militants raided a police station in the city of Jalalabad, killing 10 officers. Seven of the assailants were either fatally shot during the clash or were killed by explosives they carried. | Earlier Thursday, Taliban militants raided a police station in the city of Jalalabad, killing 10 officers. Seven of the assailants were either fatally shot during the clash or were killed by explosives they carried. |
| The predawn attack began when a suicide bomber blew up a vehicle at the entrance of the police station, located close to key government buildings, including the governor’s office. This allowed six other militants to make their way inside the police base, officials said. | The predawn attack began when a suicide bomber blew up a vehicle at the entrance of the police station, located close to key government buildings, including the governor’s office. This allowed six other militants to make their way inside the police base, officials said. |
| In addition to the 10 police officers and seven attackers, another person was killed and 14 were injured, authorities say. | In addition to the 10 police officers and seven attackers, another person was killed and 14 were injured, authorities say. |
| The attacks came as Afghanistan plans to hold its presidential election on April 5. The vote is seen as a key point in the nation’s history, because it could result in the first peaceful transition of power in Afghanistan. | The attacks came as Afghanistan plans to hold its presidential election on April 5. The vote is seen as a key point in the nation’s history, because it could result in the first peaceful transition of power in Afghanistan. |
| The attacks came on a day that 77 suspected Taliban detainees captured by NATO-led forces were released. | The attacks came on a day that 77 suspected Taliban detainees captured by NATO-led forces were released. |
| The releases come a month after the release of 65 inmates from a Bagram detention center, which drew stern criticism from United States and NATO, which considered the detainees dangerous. | The releases come a month after the release of 65 inmates from a Bagram detention center, which drew stern criticism from United States and NATO, which considered the detainees dangerous. |
| NATO and the U.S. military had no comment on the latest release. | NATO and the U.S. military had no comment on the latest release. |