Two Pakistanis killed in Kabul guesthouse attack: embassy

Deceased include Ismail Awan, adviser in a power supply company and Abdul Sattar, manager at a construction company

KABUL/ ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani nationals were killed in the Afghan Taliban attack on a guesthouse in Kabul late Wednesday, the Pakistani Embassy Spokesman Akhtar Munir told The Express Tribune on Thursday.

The UN mission in Kabul put the death toll from the attack on Park Palace hotel in Kabul at 14 and said several others were injured.

“I can confirm two Pakistani nationals were killed in the attack,” said Munir.

The slain Pakistanis include Ismail Awan, an adviser in an Afghan power supply company and Abdul Sattar, who was working as finance manager at an Afghan construction company.

Awan hailed from Sargodha in Punjab, whereas Sattar was the resident of district Charsadda in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the spokesman.

Meanwhile, Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Reports suggest one US citizen and two Indian nationals were also among the dead.

Death toll following the siege raises to 11, Afghan officials confirm. PHOTO: AFP

Read: Kabul guesthouse siege: American, 3 attackers killed in 7 hour battle, say officials

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said only one bomber took part in the attack, denying statements from the Afghan security officials that three bombers were involved.

Afghan security forces, however said that three assailants were killed.  “Three attackers have been killed. They didn’t get the chance to detonate their suicide vests,” Kabul deputy police chief Sayed Gul Agha Rohani told AFP.

Death toll following the siege raises to 11, Afghan officials confirm. PHOTO: AFP

According to Afghanistan's Tolo TV, Kabul Police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi said insurgents stormed the hotel which triggered a standoff with Afghan security forces that lasted for seven hours.

An Afghan journalist Bilal Sarwari said the Indian ambassador in Kabul told him four Indian citizens, including a lady, were killed in the attack. Indian officials earlier said two Indian nationals were killed.

Sarwari also said that an Italian couple among those killed in Wednesday’s night attack. Police started an investigation to find how attackers got inside.

Death toll following the siege raises to 11, Afghan officials confirm. PHOTO: AFP

Death toll following the siege raises to 11, Afghan officials confirm. PHOTO: AFP

A senior member of Afghan government said guards and employees of the guest house were under investigation as to how the militants entered the highly-secured guest house.

Earlier, the Afghan Taliban announced that they will launch a “spring offensive” from May 12, with attacks across the country at a time when foreign troops were devising an exit strategy.

Read: Afghan Taliban announce ‘spring offensive’ to begin on May 12

Premier Nawaz Sharif condemned Taliban's violence during his day-long visit to Kabul on Tuesday, discussing the "Azm" operations and describing Taliban attacks as terrorism.

Attacks by Taliban over the past two days could be seen as a rejection of PM Sharif's appeal to the Afghan militants to shun violence.