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Islamic State group claims responsibility for deadly Kabul hotel attack

The site of an attack at Shahr-e-naw, one of Kabul’s main commercial areas, on December 12, 2022. © Wakil Kohsar, AFP

The Islamic State group claimed on Monday responsibility for an attack on a hotel in central Kabul popular with Chinese nationals, the group said on its channel on Telegram.

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Armed men opened fire on Monday inside the hotel, and at least three gunmen were killed by security forces.

Kabul’s Emergency Hospital, run by an Italian non-profit, reported receiving 21 casualties – 18 injured and three dead on arrival.

Taliban sources said the attack was carried out at Longan Hotel where Chinese and other foreigners usually stay.

Videos posted on Twitter by a journalist in Kabul and verified by Reuters showed smoke billowing out of one of the floors amid sounds of gunshots, while a person was seen trying to escape the attack by jumping out of a hotel window.

Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said the attack took place around 2.30 p.m. local time, with residents in the area saying they heard a powerful explosion followed by gunfire.

The attack came a day after China’s ambassador met the Afghan deputy foreign minister to discuss security-related matters and sought more attention on the protection of its embassy.

China’s state-run Xinhua news agency said the attack happened near a Chinese guesthouse and its embassy in Kabul was closely monitoring the situation.

The embassy did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Several bombings have taken place in Afghanistan in recent months, including an attack on the Pakistan embassy earlier this month and a suicide blast near the Russian embassy in September. Both attacks were claimed by the Islamic State.

The Taliban, which seized power after US-led foreign forces withdrew in August 2021, have said they are focused on securing the country.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)

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