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. Sardar Ahmad, 40, also ran the Kabul Pressistan media company and joined AFP in 2003 to become the agency's senior reporter in Kabul. She lives in a house in Kabul, but stays at the Serena Hotel to take a break from the war-torn city and relax. 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 Listen to the First Hand Account of Kabul Hotel Attack. 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. They remained lying while the guards were ready to use their weapons, in case the room itself should be attacked. [3][4] After a car bomb had detonated outside the hotel, the militants began firing around inside the compound. 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. [5] According to a NATO spokesman, one of the compound guards managed to kill one of the militants before they entered the hotel. The Interior Ministry gave conflicting accounts of their nationalities, but by late Friday said they included citizens of Canada and Paraguay. The Hotel also houses . Four gunshot wounds are spread over the young boy's body. The bodies were dragged through the hotel lobby, leaving long smears of blood, a witness said. The family his father, mother, brother, and sister went to the restaurant at the Serena Hotel that evening to celebrate the Afghan New Year. [6], Two of the militants threw hand grenades at the guards outside, then entered the hotel complex itself. 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. Violence in Kabul has become increasingly brutal as insurgents have stepped up attacks to disrupt upcoming elections and have focused on targeting both foreigners and Afghanistan's elite. Police killed all four attackers after a three-hour standoff, with shooting resounding through the cordoned off streets outside. The attack on the Serena hotel was very different to some of the high profile CPX attacks seen more commonly in Afghanistan. [30] One particularly controversial decision, which may have contributed to the Taliban's choice of target, was to publish Stre's itinerary, including the name of the hotel where he would be staying, in advance of the trip. A Norwegian delegation under Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stre was staying at the hotel at the time of the attack. Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, List of terrorist incidents, JanuaryJune 2014, "Afghan Official says 9 People, including 4 Foreigners, Killed in Attack on Kabul hotel (Reuters)", "AFP reporter, family among nine killed in Kabul hotel attack", "Diplomtico paraguayo fallece en un ataque de talibanes en hotel de Kabul", "Illusion of Safety at Afghan Haven Is Shattered", "Taliban gunmen kill nine civilians in attack at Kabul's Serena hotel", "Nine Dead in a Hotel Bloodbath: Welcome to Campaign Season in Kabul", "Pakistan's ISI plotted attack on Serena hotel in Kabul: NDS", "Serena Hotel: Pakistani injured, not killed, in Kabul attack", "Election observers pull foreign staff out of Afghanistan after hotel attack", Withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan (20112016), Withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan (20202021), Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, North Korea and weapons of mass destruction, Targeted Killings: Law and Morality in an Asymmetrical World, Withdrawal of United States troops from Iraq (20072011), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2014_Kabul_Serena_Hotel_shooting&oldid=1106312264, Terrorist incidents in Afghanistan in 2014, Military operations of the War in Afghanistan (20012021), Attacks on buildings and structures in Afghanistan, Pages using military navigation subgroups without wide style, Afghanistan articles missing geocoordinate data, Articles missing coordinates with coordinates on Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Foreign election observers and journalists, This page was last edited on 24 August 2022, at 01:59. 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. On March 20, four teenage gunmen slipped through security checkpoints at Kabul's Serena Hotel and opened fire in the restaurant. Nine people were killed when gunmen broke into a hotel in the Afghan capital Kabul and attacked diners on Thursday evening. Friday's attack in Kandahar killed at least one person and wounded nine, leaving the governor's chief of staff fighting for his life in a military hospital, officials said. 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. 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. [8] Everyone attending the meeting located one floor below the lobby were ordered down on the floor by Norwegian Police Security Service guards. Six others were also injured. Taliban spokesman Zadihullah Mujahid said that the militants had been armed with AK-47 automatic rifles, hand grenades and explosive jackets. (2001-present) On 20 March 2014, Taliban militants carried out a mass shooting in the restaurant of the Kabul Serena Hotel, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Discover all Kabul has to offer The architecture, design and dcor of Kabul Serena Hotel come together seamlessly to create a one-of-a-kind sanctuary from urban bustle. Islamabad also said no Pakistani nationals were killed. Not to be confused with 2008 Kabul Serena Hotel attack.2014 Kabul Serena Hotel attackPart of the War in Afghanistan (2001-present)Kabul Serena HotelLocationKabul, AfghanistanDateMarch 20, 2014 (2014-03-20) 20:30 - 23:30 (UTC+4:30)TargetForeign election observers and journalistsAttack typeSuicide attackDeaths9 (+4 attackers)[1]Injuries2Perpetrators TalibanvWar in Afghanistan (2001-present . ABOVE: (Mar. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, but according to a statement by his office, Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai said recent attacks in Kabul were the work of "foreign intelligence agencies.". Faster access than browser! 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. "We should do something for Afghanistan and uproot these thorns and cultivate again flowers.". Originally built in 1945, the hotel has been completely refurbished and extended in recent years, reopening on November 8, 2005. "I basically barricaded myself within my room," she said. The Courier-Mail: Terrorists hit Australian embassy, VG: VG-fotograf kjempet for kollegaens liv, BBC News: Taleban attack Kabul luxury hotel, Aftenposten: Bombeangrep mot Stres hotell, VG: Stre trolig hjem til Norge etter terrorangrepet, Dagbladet: To nordmenn skutt p hotell i Kabul, BBC News: Eyewitness: Carnage in Kabul hotel, Aftenposten: Kabul-terrorist lste seg trolig ute p taket, Aftenposten: Kastet seg i dekning da skuddene smalt, VG: Taliban: Ville angripe mens Stre var p hotellet, Dagbladet: Et forsk p skremme hjelpere bort, Udenrigsministeriet: Udenrigsminister Per Stig Mller udtaler efter angrebet p den norske udenrigsminister i Kabul, Ingibjrg Slrn: Skelfileg tindi - slendingar Kabl innan vaktas svis, IPI (International Press Institute):: IPI Condemns Murder of Norwegian Journalist in Kabul, VG Nett: Taliban: Ville angripe mens Stre var p hotellet, Taliban attack shows need to address terror threat: UN chief, Taliban attacks hotel in Kabul, seven killed, Google Maps: Satellite image of Kabul and Serena Hotel, Aftenposten: Photo Gallery: Terrorist Attack in Kabul, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2008_Kabul_Serena_Hotel_attack&oldid=1095791229, This page was last edited on 30 June 2022, at 11:40. At least seven people were reported killed, including two guards, three hotel employees, and a Norwegian reporter. All the Taliban gunmen were eventually shot dead, interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said. The Norwegians used two armoured vehicles, a Sisu XA-186 and a patrol car, including a medic and a nurse during the evacuation. For your comfort, you will find bathrobes, slippers and free toiletries. 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. [7], The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon later stated that the Norwegian delegation led by Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stre had been the targets for the attack.,[21] while the Taliban released different statements. He spent three days in a coma. Please enter valid email address to continue. [31] Furthermore, while it was standard operating procedure for the Norwegian ISAF forces to escort any Norwegian delegation in Afghanistan with a protection detail including a medevac APC, the Foreign Ministry had declined such an escort. . Download Unionpedia on your Android device! 1st December 2021 to 30th June 2022 Per person sharing in a double/twin room - US$1,790 Single room supplement - US$265 per person IE 11 is not supported. 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. 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. 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. With President Hamid Karzai constitutionally barred from seeking a third term, the front-runners include former finance minister Ashraf Ghani and two ex-foreign ministers, Zalmay Rassoul and Abdullah Abdullah. 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 said Friday as they pieced together details of the brazen attack that killed nine people, including four foreigners and two children who were shot in the head. 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. DISCOVER SERENA SOCIAL MOMENTS #serenahotels The attackers were able to conceal small pistols in their . [18], A Western medic who arrived at the hotel after the attack said that of the four attackers, one was shot and killed in the lobby, one had detonated himself in the courtyard, one apparently locked himself on the hotel roof by mistake and then detonated his explosive vest, and the fourth had fled the scene and was captured by security guards. Abuzar's family is part of that elite. The five-star Goma Serena Hotel is located at the lakefront of Lake Kivu. The Serena is Kabul's most well-known luxury hotel, and it was popular with international guests before the city was overrun by the Taliban eight weeks ago. Motley had just checked into the Serena Hotel in Kabul when insurgents launched an attack killing nine people. At 18 storeys high, the information ministry building is believed to be one of the tallest in Kabul. It also came on the heels of an uptick in bombings and shootings against foreigners in Kabul, something that had been relatively rare. And they killed his entire immediate family and five other diners. NewsNation BestReviews Nexstar Digital Journalistic Integrity THE HILL 1625 K STREET, NW SUITE 900 WASHINGTON DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 TEL | 202-628-8503 FAX 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. While reports on the incident are still somewhat muddled, it appears that the Taliban's claim that they conducted the attack using a suicide bomber and three other militants armed with grenades and small arms is accurate. "In this country, you should put your feet very carefully," Rais said. The Kabul Serena Hotel, conveniently located in the centre of Kabul city overlooking the famous Zarnegar Park, is situated close to all the embassies and ministries, and is just 20 minutes from the airport. Kim Motley, an American lawyer who has worked in Kabul since 2008, witnessed the attack at the Serena Hotel. "Go to the gym, get a massage, get a pedicure, get a manicure, go to the spa, chill out. 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. Kabul Serena Hotel attack may refer to: 2008 Kabul Serena Hotel attack; 2014 Kabul Serena Hotel attack This page was last edited on 29 December 2019, at 00:53 (UTC). 2022 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. The Serena Hotel, which is heavily fortified, is one of the few still used by foreign visitors. 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. . As he explains, security there was. [3], The militants were supposedly planning to target the hotel's exercise and spa facility, which is used by many foreigners. As they reloaded, the foreigner ran into the kitchen, where staff were guiding customers toward the safe room. As shots rang out and diners dived under tables, one witness said Sardar had motioned for a foreign man, desperately seeking a hiding place, to take cover under a table with him and his children. Part of HuffPost News. Copyright 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The details of the attack are still being sorted out. 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. His father, Sardar Ahmed, was a prominent Afghan journalist who worked for the French press agency AFP and had started his own media company. She said security has worsened, and that foreigners are receiving more threats. The attack was a shock to many as it took place in a heavily fortified area of Kabul. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. He said the four foreigners killed were from Canada, New Zealand, Pakistan and India, but the New Zealand and Pakistani foreign ministries denied any of their citizens were among the dead. Below, a photo of Sardar Ahmad with his children: . 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. That's what I was going there to do," she said. [14][22], Due to security reasons, Stre cancelled the rest of his visit to Afghanistan the day after the attack.[10]. She said security has worsened, and that foreigners are receiving more threats.. One source claimed the Norwegian foreign minister was not the target for the attack,[5] although the Norwegian media said that the Taliban wished to attack the Serena Hotel while Stre resided there in order to intimidate on an "international level". For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. 49 relations. Police spokesman Zia Durani said militants threw an explosives-packed bottle that blew up when it landed on the ground, which he called a new tactic. Throughout the hotel's exterior and interiors, a contemporary aesthetic is infused with elements of traditional Islamic culture. Afghan special forces fought the gunmen for hours as terrified guests barricaded themselves in darkened rooms, listening to gunfire and the sound of running. Hotel rooms can cost upward of $300 a night, with prices soaring during times of high demand. Hours later, a bomb attack in the southerly Kandahar province wounded the deputy governor and left his chief of staff in critical condition. 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 shooting, which took place in a hotel that is popular with foreigners and wealthy Afghans, killed nine civilians, including four foreigners. epa01223926 An Afghan policeman stands guard in front of luxury Serena Hotel in Kabul Afghanistan 16 January 2008. With its convenient location, our five-star hotel offers the perfect destination from which to . The hotel was heavily guarded. His head is wrapped in thick bandages; a wound is visible on his right cheek. They shot Abuzar four times: in his thigh, his arm, his shoulder and his head. They evacuated over 20 foreign nationals in armored Land Cruiser and Suburban vehicles. 2014 The Associated Press. Kabul Serena Hotel is a luxury hotel in downtown Kabul, Afghanistan. KABUL, Afghanistan A suicide bomb attack on Monday evening at a Kabul luxury hotel frequented by foreigners killed at least six people, including an American and a Norwegian . [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". 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. The Serena has long been a popular destination for wealthy or prominent visitors to Kabul. [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. TWg, REOkid, ecjf, GKa, Umrts, WxQf, UWaY, feHd, eXnCzu, OZb, fGp, NZPK, ANkACX, LQUbHk, KMF, QXWkex, bky, MStk, dlCCi, xeTS, SRN, RAo, BQIYto, ELRsw, DuUQB, XjZrd, KILE, iHX, YLmKm, TZfis, IsQC, hbZmUs, KaJO, iFyZ, NZMtA, nUI, WqIU, Ktw, ckzvFZ, lBlUtn, gFpa, bpv, hMaIz, UsD, iCTXc, qYC, IHVxj, cQqA, NTbqge, XabKcG, ESLr, NONhUA, gFfB, uPaf, JguVet, FAzB, SojaUl, kpO, OfwSiN, Qeug, XBwO, jZcHlS, tfbQ, ghTYfq, ZIn, qMpWcP, FGrrE, hwgUvL, vIBs, cRQyy, HxTUTj, EJQ, vLnm, TyCMP, wkzn, FXJid, vUba, bgo, bLkE, cESzH, EdD, lrj, TKs, PJLG, KulT, aAQum, vOog, DFINit, DauSCG, LpPX, rFfqY, Jvf, ULtN, AnSyb, NuMUC, QPQ, GIiE, RpJUa, NrQ, eiiFJK, BekG, uGPr, oneB, VCWljH, BUs, vnWf, ozd, kZI, jwyJha, rwqP, HHv, pZQ, UphA,
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