This article is from the source 'bbc' 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.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-26675253

The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 6 Version 7
Nine killed in Kabul hotel suicide attack Nine killed in Kabul hotel suicide attack
(about 1 hour later)
Nine people were killed when gunmen broke into a hotel in the Afghan capital Kabul and attacked diners, a government minister has told the BBC. Nine people were killed when gunmen broke into a hotel in the Afghan capital Kabul and attacked diners on Thursday evening.
Two children and four foreign nationals were among the dead, with six other people wounded, said Deputy Interior Minister General Mohammad Ayub Salangi. Two children and four foreign nationals were among the dead, the official said.
Special forces killed the four gunmen who broke into the Serena Hotel, which is popular with foreigners. Special forces shot the gunmen. The Taliban said it was behind the assault.
The Taliban said it was behind Thursday evening's attack. The Afghan government has blamed the attack on Pakistan's ceasefire with the Taliban, which it says has enabled the militants to focus on targeting Afghanistan, correspondents report.
The gunmen - said to be teenagers - entered the five-star Serena Hotel with pistols hidden in their socks. Afghan authorities are usually unwilling to voice Kabul's belief that Pakistan is behind violence in Afghanistan, the BBC's David Lloyn, in Kabul, reports.
They arrived at about 18:00 local time (13:30 GMT) claiming to be diners at a special buffet put on to mark Nowruz, the spring equinox and the start of a new year. But Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi was very specific in blaming Pakistan for a ceasefire in the frontier region during the Afghan election campaign, our correspondent says.
The truce allowed the Taliban to move across Afghanistan, and enabled the group to keep open thousands of religious schools, known as madrassas, which Mr Sediqi said "teach terrorists to fight Afghans".
Pistols in socks
The gunmen - said to be teenagers - entered the five-star Serena Hotel, which is popular with foreigners, with pistols hidden in their socks.
They arrived at about 18:00 local time (13:30 GMT) claiming to be diners at a special buffet put on to mark Nowruz, the spring equinox and the start of the new year.
They started shooting three hours later after hiding in a toilet.They started shooting three hours later after hiding in a toilet.
The dead included four women, three men and two children. Two of the women were from New Zealand and Canada, and two of the men from India and Pakistan; the others killed were Afghans. Among the dead were two women from New Zealand and Canada, and two men from India and Pakistan; the others killed were Afghans.
An Afghan MP, Habib Afghan, was among the wounded, shot in the face, stomach and leg. Six other people were also wounded in the attack, Deputy Interior Minister General Mohammad Ayub Salangi told the BBC.
"The information we have received from the guards of the hotel show that the assailants were under 18 years old and managed to enter the hotel under the pretext of having dinner and they had hidden pistols under their socks," Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi was quoted as saying by Tolo TV. An Afghan MP, Habib Afghan, is in hospital after being shot in the face, stomach and leg.
The building was immediately surrounded by members of the elite Afghan Crisis Response Unit, who shot dead the attackers. The building was immediately surrounded by members of the elite Afghan Crisis Response Unit, who killed the attackers.
The Serena Hotel lies less than 1km (0.6 miles) from the presidential palace and key government ministries. The Serena Hotel is less than 1km (0.6 miles) from the presidential palace and key government ministries.
It currently houses UN staff who will be monitoring April's presidential elections.It currently houses UN staff who will be monitoring April's presidential elections.
The hotel has been one of the most frequent targets of the Taliban, and it has been successfully attacked several times before, the BBC's David Loyn in Kabul reports. The hotel has been one of the most frequent targets of the Taliban with several previous attacks.
The election of Afghan President Hamid Karzai's successor is due to take place on 5 April.