Afghanistan: Armed gunmen target hotel in Kabul

Security forces launched an operation in central Kabul on Monday after a blast and gunfire erupted at a hotel in the Afghan capital, Kabul according to several media reports.

The building is frequented by foreign travelers, particularly from China. Although Taliban officials said no foreign nationals were killed in the attack, a local hospital reported several were injured.

What we know so far

The attack is believed to have taken place near the Kabul Longan Hotel in the Shar-e Naw area, which is located in one of the capital's main commercial areas. Locals also said the hotel is frequented by Chinese business travelers and other foreign guests, Reuters reported.

Hours after the attack began, the Taliban's government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, said the security operation had ended.

Three attackers were killed, the spokesperson said. No foreign nationals inside the building died, but two sustained injuries after trying to jump to safety from the building, the Taliban official added.

Shortly afterwards, a local hospital reported that there were "21 casualties" and that three people were dead upon arrival, according to the international medical NGO, Emergency.

It did not say if those dead were civilians or involved in the attack. 
Earlier, residents in the area reported a loud explosion in the area followed by gunfire.

Footage posted by Afghan broadcaster TOLO News posted footage from the scene on Twitter, showing smoke rising from the site of the hotel.

Other images on social media showed a fire on one of the floors of the hotel.

How has China responded?

China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported that the attack took place near a Chinese guesthouse and that Beijing's embassy in Kabul is monitoring the situation.

The embassy itself has not yet responded to requests for comment.

China is one of the few countries that has maintained a full diplomatic presence in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in August 2021.

Although Beijing has not officially recognized the Taliban government, a post by the Taliban-run Foreign Ministry showed a meeting between Taliban officials and China's ambassador to Kabul on Sunday, just a day before the attack.

According to a ministry spokesman, Chinese Ambassador Wang Yu "expressed his satisfaction over the overall security in Afghanistan" but called on the Taliban to "pay more attention to the security of the Chinese Embassy in Kabul."

What is the security situation in Afghanistan?

The so-called "Islamic State" (IS) said it was responsible for Monday's attack. 

IS said in a statement that two of its personnel "attacked a big hotel frequented by Chinese diplomats and businessmen in Kabul, where they detonated two explosive devices hidden inside two bags." The group claimed 30 people were wounded or killed.

Since seizing power last year following the withdrawal of US-led troops, the Taliban have struggled to stabilize security in the country.

Several bombing and shooting attacks have erupted in recent months, several of which have been claimed by the local chapter of IS. Last month, IS claimed an attack on Pakistan's Embassy in Kabul, which Pakistani officials described as an "assassination attempt" against its ambassador.

In September, two Russian embassy staff were killed in a suicide bomb attack that was also claimed by IS.

Security and stability have been among Beijing's top priorities — and concerns — in Afghanistan as it seeks to secure its borders and infrastructure investments in the region.

China's government has been particularly concerned about the possibility of Afghanistan turning into a staging point for separatists from the Uyghur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang border region.

During talks on Sunday, the Taliban sought to assure China that Afghanistan would not be used as a staging site for militants, in exchange for economic support from Beijing.

rs/rt (AFP, Reuters)