CARACAS, VENEZUELA

4 gunmen dead in attack on luxury Afghan hotel

Four gunmen opened fire in a luxury hotel frequented by foreigners in the Afghan capital Thursday, prompting guests and staff members to take refuge in the basement as security forces killed the assailants in a three-hour standoff, officials said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying its fighters targeted foreigners and dignitaries gathered at the hotel for a celebration marking the Persian new year, Nowruz. age of Syrian soldiers walking unopposed into the Crac des Chevaliers, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The military’s push into the Crac des Chevaliers marked the latest in a string of battlefield gains for President Bashar Assad’s forces.