Afghan officials said today they would not be deterred by the "cowardly enemies" who attacked Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul late Tuesday night in a brazen attack that left 20 dead.
"The transition process will be, and these cowardly enemies will not stop our plans," Ashraf Ghani transition Committee Chairman said, according to Associated Press.
More than five hours after the insurgents triggered a deadly Kabul Intercontinental Hotel Tuesday assault commandos night, Afghan night vision goggles was able to return to the hotel with the help of the NATO forces special operations - but not before nine civilians, the two police officers and the nine attackers were killed. The Taliban claimed the attack shortly after the start.
Afghan officials, including provincial governors, were having dinner at the Intercontinental ahead of a Conference on the transition of security that begins today, but none have been killed in the attack, Afghan Interior Minister General Bismillah Khan Mohammadi said. Afghan forces are scheduled to take charge of security in some parts of the country from July.
Earlier this month following President Obama ordered the army to withdraw more than 30,000 soldiers of the Afghanistan by the summer 2012, part of a three year and a half transition plan that will provide some security features in seven provinces and cities of the police and the Afghan army. Tuesday attack, Obama, said today, shows that U.S. in the country "is not working."
"The Taliban are still active [and] it is still being of events like that on occassion," Obama said in a press conference. "[But] Kabul is much safer was." Afghan forces in Kabul are much more capable than they were. Which does not mean that they will not be events as this potentially is and probably will for a period of time. »
NATO ends standoff with rockets
At least a suicide bomber explodes himself at the entrance of the hotel late Tuesday evening, and at least four explosions were heard.
But the battle ended only after special operations forces troops in a NATO helicopter overflew the hotel shot three insurgents on the roof. Two Americans were in the hotel attack, but the two survived, according to the United States Embassy in Kabul. A Spanish pilot was killed in the attack, according to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who expressed his condolences in a press release.
It is not known if there were a particular target in the hotel, located on a hill overlooking the city, or if the target was the hotel itself.
The attack occurred while the guests were having dinner and at least two marriages took place. Police said they cut the power at the hotel and the area surrounding whole, cordoning off streets leading to the hotel.
The Intercontinental Hotel is the most famous hotel in Afghanistan and one of the icons of Kabul, where many Western and Afghan officials remain and hold meetings.
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