A senior Afghan police official on Thursday, May 14, 2015 disclosed that the death toll from an attack from the Taliban on a hotel in Kabul where guests were trapped amid gunshots has risen to fourteen.
Kabul police Chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi disclosed that the siege which began at about 8pm on Wednesday, May 13, 2015 lasted more than five hours.
Among the casualties from the deadly assault which took place on Wednesday May 13, 2015 night on the Park Palace Guest House were foreigners.
The United States of America’s authorities disclosed that an American citizen was killed while Indian Foreign Ministry officials, cited that four of the victims were Indian.
Also, Luciano Pezzotti, Italy’s ambassador to Afghanistan revealed on Italian TV that one of his countrymen was among those killed and a British-Afghan dual national who according to UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond who was “working for the British Council” was shot dead as well.
the UK Foreign Secretary in a statement said, “This incident brings home to us once again the courage and perseverance of the people of Afghanistan and members of the international community who support them.
“These callous acts of terrorism against innocent civillians must not be allowed to threaten more peaceful future for Afghanistan,” he said.
The victims of this heartless act for which the Taliban issued a statement claiming responsibility for, where among the people gathered at the hotel for a cultural event, according to the United Nations.
Six others were severely injured in the attack, including an Afghan special forces member who refused to be identified.
The identities of any of the victims have not been revealed as at the filing of this report.
Georgette Gagnon, the United Nations Human Rights Director in Afghanistan, stated that “These deliberate attacks on civilians are atrocities”
Security forces in Kabul were able to salvage more than 50 persons from the hotel, including trapped guests.
Police officials on Thursday, May 14, 2015 revealed that Afghan special forces had killed three armed assailants who were behind the attack.
However, the unidentified Afghan police official said later that the body of only one assailant had been found
There was confusion over the exact number of gunmen involved though the Taliban also said that they had sent only one attacker to the hotel.
