serena hotel kabul attack

[5] According to a NATO spokesman, one of the compound guards managed to kill one of the militants before they entered the hotel. Sardar began his career as a journalist in 2001 with the fall of the Taliban, when he started working as a translator for Japanese journalists. She lives in a house in Kabul, but stays at the Serena Hotel to take a break from the war-torn city and relax. Islamabad also said no Pakistani nationals were killed. The Afghan capital has been hit by several attacks, but authorities appeared stunned that the militants had managed to get through the tight security at the Serena hotel -- considered one of the safest places to stay in Kabul. KABUL, March 21 (Reuters) - A Taliban assault on the restaurant of a luxury hotel, considered one of the safest places in Kabul and frequented by foreigners and Afghan officials, has swelled a tide of violence sweeping Afghanistan two weeks before a presidential election. [3], The militants were supposedly planning to target the hotel's exercise and spa facility, which is used by many foreigners. Kabul has become more violent, as insurgents have increased attacks and more frequently targeted foreigners and Afghanistans elite. The 2014 Kabul Serena Hotel attack was a firearm attack on the restaurant of the Kabul Serena Hotel, in Kabul, Afghanistan on March 20, 2014 for which the Taliban claimed responsibility. Two Norwegians were shot and severely injured in the attack. 49 relations. The attackers appeared to be about 18 years old and all were killed, Sediqqi said at a press conference, displaying photos of the small pistols and ammunition the attackers used and shoes in which they hid their weapons. Please enter valid email address to continue. A Norwegian delegation under Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stre was staying at the hotel at the time of the attack. [6], Two of the militants threw hand grenades at the guards outside, then entered the hotel complex itself. . Afghan Intelligence - National Directorate of Security (NDS) said Tuesday that the attack on Serena Hotel in Kabul city was carried out by Pakistani intelligence services. The attack claimed six lives, including Norwegian journalist Carsten Thomassen. The Hotel also houses . Private Security Contractors employed by the U.S. State Department Worldwide Personal Protective Services of team Hammer 4 QRF were some of the first responders to arrive on scene. After arriving they began a methodical, room to room clearing of the hotel. The hotel also houses the Australian embassy in Afghanistan. [13], Two hotel guards were killed in the attack as well as a Filipino female employee at the hotel and an American citizen, Thor Hesla,[14] who was a long-time political campaigner for David Wu, Bill Bradley and Bill Clinton, among others. "Go to the gym, get a massage, get a pedicure, get a manicure, go to the spa, chill out. . KABUL Abuzar grabs the thumb of his aunt and looks up at her. Abuzar's uncle Shah Mohammed Rais, who became known widely as "the bookseller of Kabul" after an international bestseller was written about him, said he had warned family members not to go to restaurants where foreigners go. . Kim Motley, an American lawyer who has worked in Kabul since 2008, witnessed the attack at the Serena Hotel. Motley had just checked into the Serena Hotel in Kabul when insurgents launched an attack killing nine people. Six others were also injured. The rooms are fitted with a private bathroom. Among its prominent hotels are the Islamabad Serena Hotel and the Kabul Serena Hotel, which was fatally attacked in 2008 and 2014. She left the room three hours later and saw the full effect of the attack. (Additional reporting by Katharine Houreld and Mirwais Harooni; Editing by Maria Golovnina, Miral Fahmy and Mark Trevelyan). The Serena has long been a popular destination for wealthy or prominent visitors to Kabul. The dead Afghans included popular journalist Sardar Ahmad of Agence France-Presse, his wife and two daughters. At 18 storeys high, the information ministry building is believed to be one of the tallest in Kabul. DISCOVER SERENA SOCIAL MOMENTS #serenahotels That's what I was going there to do," she said. It came days after a marketplace bomb killed 16 people in the north and just hours after a complex attack on a police headquarters in. Opium production increases 32% in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, Taliban blocks women from college subjects deemed "too difficult", Deadly blast tears through mosque near Afghan Interior Ministry, Women brave "brutal" Taliban response to protest "genocide" in Afghanistan, Deadly suicide blast tears through packed Kabul school hall, Complete coverage of the war in Afghanistan, Top U.S. commander on risks of complete withdrawal, NATO backs U.S. threat of complete withdrawal. The dead include a Norwegian journalist and a US citizen . Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Part of HuffPost News. [8] According to Norwegian foreign ministry spokeswoman Anne Lene Dale Sandsten Norwegian officials were in a meeting one level down from the reception when they heard shooting and "a big blast". [2], At 6:30 pm local time, three men disguised in police uniforms created a distraction while a fourth man entered the hotel compound to detonate his suicide vest. The bodies were dragged through the hotel lobby, leaving long smears of blood, a witness said. IE 11 is not supported. NDS spokesman, Lotfullah Mashal told reporters that the Taliban group and Haqqani terrorist network do not have the capabilities to plan such a sophisticated attack. Armed with small handguns, the gunmen stormed the hotel's restaurant at around 8:30pm 9:00pm, firing on guests as they dined and celebrated Nowruz, the Persian new year. Career []. January 14: 2008 Kabul Serena Hotel attack July 7: 2008 Indian embassy bombing in Kabul 2009 [ edit] Security forces rushing a woman away from the scene of a suicide bombing on December 15, 2009. Listen to the First Hand Account of Kabul Hotel Attack. The 2008 Kabul Serena Hotel attack was an attack on the gym of the Kabul Serena Hotel, in Kabul, Afghanistan on January 14, 2008 for which the Taliban claimed responsibility. 7772 1 2015. Three hours later, they emerged to begin their rampage, killing four foreigners. The five-star Goma Serena Hotel is located at the lakefront of Lake Kivu. Afghan authorities initially said only two security guards had been wounded and the assault began at 6 p.m. but later changed their account. Afghan pedestrians and commuters make their way past the security perimeter at the Serena hotel in Kabu on March 21, 2014 5/5 Handguns used by the teenage attackers in the overnight Serena. At least seven people were reported killed, including two guards, three hotel employees, and a Norwegian reporter. The Foreign Office has condemned the deadly attack on the Kabul Serena Hotel and stated that one Pakistani national was injured in the terrorist incident, according to a statement issued on Friday. As two gunmen walked towards the group, Sardar spoke to them in a local language and the gunmen turned away and started shooting in a different direction until they ran out of bullets. The Islamist Taliban movement has ordered its fighters to use "full force" to disrupt the vote and threatened to kill anyone who participates in what it calls a Western-backed sham. At the time of the attack, Motley had just checked into her second-floor room. Guests in the hotel barricaded themselves in their rooms and others fled. The family his father, mother, brother, and sister went to the restaurant at the Serena Hotel that evening to celebrate the Afghan New Year. Jan. 15, 2008. Earlier this month, a Swedish journalist was shot on the street execution-style and a Lebanese restaurant popular with foreigners was attacked by a suicide bomber and gunmen in January. The attack and Thomassen's death in particular triggered controversy in Norway when it became known that the Norwegian Foreign Ministry had ignored recommendations from the Norwegian Police Security Service and the Norwegian Intelligence Service regarding the security arrangements for Stre's visit. [7][8], The Norwegian photographer Stian Solum explained that he was one of those shot at by a man wearing an Afghan police uniform as he left the lift. "We should do something for Afghanistan and uproot these thorns and cultivate again flowers.". Below, a photo of Sardar Ahmad with his children: . The hotel was heavily guarded. His head is wrapped in thick bandages; a wound is visible on his right cheek. Four teenage gunmen entered the restaurant of the hotel, opening fire with handguns against patrons and sparking a three-hour standoff with Afghan security forces. New Taliban rule: Afghan women banned from studying with men; Many Afghans unable to work or attend school in US; America pauses to remember 9/11 attacks; North Korea tests new 'long-range cruise missile' | via Meg Luna Four teenage gunmen entered the restaurant of the hotel, opening fire with handguns against patrons and sparking a three-hour standoff with Afghan security . Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said most of the civilians were killed when two of the attackers walked into the restaurant and began shooting, while the others were shot to death as the gunmen made their way through the hotel. KABUL, Afghanistan -- The four gunmen were swift as they entered the luxury hotel in Kabul, although it took them a few minutes to find the restaurant that was their target, Afghan officials. The 2014 Kabul Serena Hotel attack was a firearm attack on the restaurant of the Kabul Serena Hotel, in Kabul, Afghanistan on March 20, 2014 for which the Taliban claimed responsibility. Taliban spokesman Zadihullah Mujahid said that the militants had been armed with AK-47 automatic rifles, hand grenades and explosive jackets. Abuzar's family is part of that elite. Download Unionpedia on your Android device! [5][6][7], The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Serena Experience from $125 Book Now View all Offers Safari Birding Safari Birding with the Experts 3 Nights/4 Days Birding Safari Special Road Package Ex Nairobi to Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp. The hotel attack started around 6 p.m. on Thursday when four attackers managed to get past the dozens of armed guards patrolling the perimeter as well as metal detectors and body searches, possibly concealing their guns in their socks. They told NBC News that Abuzar would probably not be alive had he been brought to the hospital 10 minutes later than he was. Four gunshot wounds are spread over the young boy's body. The attack claimed six lives, including Norwegian journalist Carsten Thomassen. As they reloaded, the foreigner ran into the kitchen, where staff were guiding customers toward the safe room. The 2014 Kabul Serena Hotel attack was a firearm attack on the restaurant of the Kabul Serena Hotel, in Kabul, Afghanistan on March 20, 2014 for which the Taliban claimed responsibility. [14][18][19], Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stre resided at Serena Hotel along with a large delegation from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the time of the attack. All Rights Reserved. And they killed his entire immediate family and five other diners. February 11: February 2009 Kabul raids August 15: 2009 NATO Afghanistan headquarters bombing October 8: 2009 Kabul Indian embassy attack It said the family's youngest son was undergoing emergency treatment after being badly wounded in the attack. VISIT KABUL. A Norwegian delegation under Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stre was staying at the hotel at the time of the attack. [3][4] Afghan security forces responded to the attack, sealing off the hotel and launching a hunt for the gunmen. On 20 March 2014, Taliban militants carried out a mass shooting in the restaurant of the Kabul Serena Hotel, in Kabul, Afghanistan. [2], Four teenage Taliban militants smuggled weapons in their shoes and socks and then hid in the hotel for several hours before commencing the attack. This week alone, seven or eight suicide bombers killed at least 11 people in the eastern city of Jalalabad, while 18 were killed by a bomb in a marketplace in northern Afghanistan. [3] In September 2020, Serena Hotels opened a new property in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in eastern DRC. Nine people were killed, including Ahmad Sardar (a prominent Afghan journalist), Sardar's wife and two of their children, a Canadian, a New Zealander, two Bangladeshis, and a Paraguayan diplomat. The details of the attack are still being sorted out. Around 100 guests fled into a basement safe room, where they had to struggle with choking smoke from a fire in the kitchen above. Subscribe to ITN News: http://bit.ly/1bmWO8hVideo footage has emerged showing Taliban gunmen smuggling tiny guns into a heavy fortified hotel cordon in Kabul. As he explains, security there was. First published on March 21, 2014 / 7:00 AM. A Norwegian delegation under Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stre was staying at the hotel at the time of the attack. 2014 The Associated Press. Sardar Ahmad, 40, also ran the Kabul Pressistan media company and joined AFP in 2003 to become the agency's senior reporter in Kabul. On 20 March 2014, Taliban militants carried out a mass shooting in the restaurant of the Kabul Serena Hotel, in Kabul, Afghanistan. As they entered the hotel, one of the militants detonated a suicide vest, while at least one other, who was wearing an Afghan police uniform, began firing an AK-47. The 2014 Kabul Serena Hotel attack was a mass shooting that took place in the restaurant of the Kabul Serena Hotel, in Kabul, Afghanistan on 20 March 2014 carried out by Taliban militants. (2001-present) On 20 March 2014, Taliban militants carried out a mass shooting in the restaurant of the Kabul Serena Hotel, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The hotel is moments from Kabul's embassies and government ministries and a 15- to 20-minute drive from Kabul International Airport.

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