Crime & Justice

Islamic State claims attack on Kabul hotel popular with Chinese

Cairo, Dec 13 (EFE).- The global militant network of the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack on a Kabul hotel popular with foreigners, particularly the Chinese, in which at least three assailants died on Monday.

An Islamic State statement said its fighters attacked the hotel in the Afghan capital “frequented by Chinese businessmen and communist diplomats.”

The statement claimed the Islamic State fighters detonated two explosive devices hidden inside two bags in the hotel.

It said one of the bombs targeted a party for Chinese guests and the other the reception hall for visitors on the first floor.

The statement said that after the explosion, one of the attackers went up to the second floor and threw grenades at the Taliban security officers.

According to the statement, the other person blew up the doors to the rooms and fired at Chinese guests.

The militant network identified two fighters as Abu Omar and Abdul Jabar.

However, it did not reveal their nationalities.

The Taliban said the gun battle ended with the deaths of three attackers after searchers rescued all hotel guests.

Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid tweeted that two foreigners who threw themselves from the top floors were injured.

The assailants broke into the hotel located in Kabul’s Police District 4 around 2.30 pm local time.

Over the last year, there has been an increase in attacks claimed by the Islamic State in urban areas of Afghanistan.

Since the Taliban came to power in August last year, the Afghan branch of the Islamic State has emerged as the main threat to the country’s stability.

But the Taliban deny that the militant network poses any security challenge to the war-ravaged country.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on Dec.2, in which two snipers targeted the head of the Pakistani embassy and his guards.

A security guard was seriously injured. The Taliban government said they arrested an Islamic State member who carried out the attack.

The militant group claimed responsibility for an attack in September near the Russian embassy in Kabul.

The Taliban have carried out operations in several parts of the country against the militant group as a part of its promise of security guarantees made before the US withdrawal. EFE

fa/ssk

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