Afghan security ends Kabul hotel siege

At least 18 guests killed, including 14 foreigners

KABUL, Afghanistan — Security forcessaidsundaytheyhadkilled the last of six Taliban militants to end an overnight siege at Kabul’s Intercontinentalhotelthatleftat least 18 people dead, including 14 foreigners. Some of the 150 guests fled the gunbattle and fire sparked by the assault by shimmying down bedsheets from the upper floors.

The militants, who wore suicide vests, pinned security forces down formorethan13hoursafterthe attack began about 9 p.m. Saturday. The gunmen roamed the hallways and targeted foreigners and Afghan officials inside the luxury, hilltop hotel.

Themorethan150peoplewho were rescued or managed to escape included 41 foreigners, said Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish. Of those, 10 people were injured, including six security forces, he said.

Elevenofthe14foreignerskilled wereemployeesofkamair,aprivate Afghan airline, Danish said. Kamair put out a statement saying some of its flights were disrupted because of the attack.

Six of those killed were Ukrainians, said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, who added that his office was working with Afghan law enforcement agencies “to clarify the circumstances of this terrorist act.”

Twovenezuelanpilotsforkamair were among the dead, according to Luis Figuera. He told The Associated Press that his brother-in-law, Adelsis Ramos, was killed along with Pablo Chiossone, and that their bodies were identified by another Venezuelanpilotatakabulhospital.

A citizen from Kazakhstan also was among the dead at the hotel, accordingtoanuarzhainakov,aspokesman for the Kazakh Foreign Ministry.

Afghan security officials confirmed that 34 provincial officials wereatthehotelforaconference organized by the Telecommunication Ministry.