Four Taliban militants shot dead by Afghan forces in a highly diplomatic zone

ImageCourtesy: ndtv.com

In a combat between police officers and arms-borne militants in the Afghan capital, Kabul, four militants were shot dead by the police officers following their attempt to barge into a guesthouse hosting foreigners, in an area which is an important diplomatic zone.

The Taliban later claimed that it had launched the attack, which resulted in a fierce gun battle between the police officials and the militants in the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul. No civilians or police officers were killed in this battle that erupted late on Tuesday night and went on till early Wednesday when the militants were shot down.

“Four attackers who had one RPG launcher, three AK-47s and one grenade launcher were killed in Wazir Akbar Khan,” deputy interior minister Mohammad Ayoub Salangi tweeted.

The militants were said to be heavily armed and their target was to zero in on the Heetal Plaza Hotel, owned by the son of the former Afghan President, where a number of foreign guests are residing. The militants did try to destroy the gate of the guesthouse, which leads straight to the entrance, but couldn’t succeed.

The gate was only damaged and security was immediately multiplied around the guesthouse. The hotel’s manager confirmed that no defence of their guesthouse was breached.

This attack, reportedly, is a part of a series of attacks launched by the Taliban to crucify foreigners residing in Afghanistan. Nearly two weeks ago, an attack of a similar nature was launched on a hotel, killing 14.

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About Suyash Karangutkar

Suyash Karangutkar is a young, dedicated and an enthusiastic journalist who has a deep interest in National and International Affairs. He is an ardent political spectator who finds politics fascinating. At Spectralhues, he heads the Mumbai team and covers National Affairs & Politics. He also occasionally writes columns for Spectralhues. He can be followed on Twitter @columnistsuyash