Kabul Hotel Attacked by Gunmen, Leaving 5 Dead

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/14/world/asia/gunmen-attack-hotel-in-central-kabul.html

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KABUL, Afghanistan — An attack on a central Kabul hotel late Wednesday by several gunmen left five people dead, including an American, raising the specter of targeted attacks in the capital even as violence has surged elsewhere in Afghanistan.

Gunfire could be heard inside the Park Palace Hotel early Thursday morning before the siege was ended. In addition to the five dead — included the American and two Indian citizens — six others were wounded, officials said. Police units descended on the hotel around 8:30 p.m. after as many as five attackers entered the building.

The Park Palace Hotel, located in a wealthier part of the city, once housed staff members of the United Nations in Afghanistan, though the agency has moved employees to other locations. The hotel is near several international aid agencies and a hospital.

The Taliban did not immediately claim responsibility for the attack on the hotel, which is popular with Afghans as well as international guests. Striking hotels and restaurants favored by Westerners has been a tactic of the Taliban in recent years.

Kabul, despite its value as a target for militant attacks, has had relatively few high-profile attacks in recent months. Attacks on government forces and security convoys with magnetic bombs have been more frequent.