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Taliban insurgents attack Kabul guest house Taliban attack on Kabul guest house 'brought to an end'
(35 minutes later)
At least four people remain trapped in a guest house in Kabul which has come under attack by Taliban insurgents, officials say. A Taliban attack on a guest house in Kabul has come to an end with police killing the last gunman inside, Afghan military sources have told the Reuters news agency.
Afghan special forces are fighting the attackers and have retaken two floors of the guest house, police said. At least four people were trapped inside the guest house during the attack, officials say.
They say that fighting is continuing on the third floor and so far there are no reports of any fatalities. Afghan special forces were rushed in to fight the attackers, police said.
Security has been tight in the Afghan capital, one week ahead of a presidential election. Fighting continued for much of Friday and the AFP agency has reported that a girl has been killed.
Security has been tight in the Afghan capital, one week ahead of the presidential election.
Kabul police chief Mohammad Zahir told the BBC that there were four attackers, including one who detonated his vehicle packed with explosives, allowing the others to get inside the guest house. Kabul police chief Mohammad Zahir told the BBC that there were four attackers, including one who detonated explosives in his vehicle, allowing the others to get inside the guest house.
It is unclear exactly how many people remain trapped in the guest house, which is run by the US-based NGO Roots of Peace. It was unclear how many people were trapped in the guest house, which is run by US-based NGO Roots of Peace.
Roots of Peace country manager Hajji Mohammad Sharif Osmani told the Reuters news agency that only four people were still inside the building which it runs and the rest had all escaped. Roots of Peace country manager Hajji Mohammad Sharif Osmani told Reuters news agency that four people were inside the building during the attacks as the rest had all escaped.
But officials also said they had been told by a man who was rescued from the building that six others were inside.. But officials also said they had been told by a man rescued from the building that six others were inside.
A number of foreigners were among those evacuated from nearby residential buildings. A number of foreigners were among those moved out of nearby residential buildings.
There are several guest houses in the same street as the the one attacked on Friday, as well as campaign offices for several presidential candidates. There are several guest houses in the same street as the one attacked on Friday, as well as campaign offices for several presidential candidates.
The Taliban on Friday put out a statement saying they had carried out the attack.The Taliban on Friday put out a statement saying they had carried out the attack.
Witnesses described how the initial explosion shattered windows. Mohammed Sadi, a resident in the area, told the AP news agency that the force of the blast rattled buildings several blocks away. Witnesses described how the initial explosion shattered windows. Mohammed Sadi, a resident in the area, told AP news agency that the force of the blast rattled buildings several blocks away.
"At the beginning a powerful explosion happened, which also broke the windows of our house," he said. "Then gunfire started and the police blocked all the roads.""At the beginning a powerful explosion happened, which also broke the windows of our house," he said. "Then gunfire started and the police blocked all the roads."
Afghan special forces surrounded the area, officials said, and television footage showed military convoys headed towards the district.Afghan special forces surrounded the area, officials said, and television footage showed military convoys headed towards the district.
The attack is the latest in the run-up to the vote to choose a successor to President Hamid Karzai next Saturday.The attack is the latest in the run-up to the vote to choose a successor to President Hamid Karzai next Saturday.
Three days ago, the Taliban launched a gun and bomb attack on an office of the Afghan election commission in Kabul.Three days ago, the Taliban launched a gun and bomb attack on an office of the Afghan election commission in Kabul.
Another attack a week ago left nine people dead when gunmen broke into an upmarket hotel in Kabul.Another attack a week ago left nine people dead when gunmen broke into an upmarket hotel in Kabul.