Gunmen storm Kabul guesthouse popular with foreigners

May 14, 2015 01:11

Gunmen stormed a Kabul guesthouse popular with foreigners today ahead of a planned concert, Afghan officials said, with people believed trapped inside and several casualties feared.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on the Park Place guesthouse in downtown Kabul, but the assault comes as the Taliban -- who have attacked such guesthouses in the past -- press their annual spring offensive.

"There was a concert planned to take place inside the Park Place tonight, with foreigners, mainly Indian and Turkish guests, invited," an Afghan intelligence official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"The attack started before the concert. We believe three to five gunmen have managed to sneak into the guesthouse, but they first faced resistance from the guards."

A Park Palace employee who barricaded himself in a room in the guesthouse told AFP he heard several people screaming in the corridors as gunshots rang out.

"A party with live Afghan music was playing upstairs -- with several VIPs attending -- when the gunfire started," he told AFP by telephone.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Gavaskar Slams Kohli, Star Sports

An angry Sunil Gavaskar lashed out at Virat Kohli over his criticism of commentators, who had questioned his strike rate in T20 cricket.

PBKS not out of play-off race yet: Harshal

The pacer praised Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh for helping PBKS recovering in the second inning after losing two quick wickets.

In Pictures - Narine fires KKR past LSG and to the top of IPL

Images from Sunday's IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants, in Lucknow.

Campaigning ends for third phase, high stakes for BJP

The stakes are significant for the BJP in this round as the party had in 2019 won an overwhelming majority of these seats, including all in Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, that will go to polls on May 7.

In Pictures - Liverpool back on track with win over Spurs

A summary of Sunday's action in the Premier League.