Gunmen burst into Kabul's luxury Intercontinental Hotel, shooting at guests and staff and setting the building on fire, officials said, as security forces battled to end the more than eight-hour-long assault.

At least two of the four attackers are dead, as per several media reports.

The Afghan officials have confirmed that at least four gunmen had launched the attack.

The gunmen stormed the hotel on Saturday evening, shooting at guests and detonating grenades.

Special forces were called during the night-time siege, interior ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said, adding two attackers had been killed.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest assault in the war-torn Afghan capital that followed a series of security warnings in recent days to avoid hotels and other locations frequented by foreigners.

It is not clear how many people are still inside the hotel, which was previously attacked by Taliban in 2011, or whether any foreigners are among them.

The Intercontinental Hotel, located on a hilltop and heavily protected like most public buildings in Kabul, is one of two main luxury hotels in the city and had reportedly been due to host an information technology conference on Sunday.

IMAGE: Afghan security force keep watch near the site of an attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul. Photograph: Mohammad Ismail/Reuters