American Citizen Among 5 Dead in Kabul Hotel Attack
Five dead and five injured as authorities respond, official says.
— -- An American citizen was among those killed in a deadly attack on a Kabul guest house this evening, the U.S. State Department said.
Gunmen attacked the Park Palace guest house, where a party was being hosted with many foreigners in attendance, and then Afghan security forces stormed the hotel.
Five people were killed and five were injured, including foreign nationals, Kabul Police Chief Gen. Abdul Rahman Rahimi told reporters. He added that police rescued 54 people from inside the hotel.
The Taliban, through its spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility for the attack and confirmed that one attacker was involved.
Unlike past attacks in which assailants breached security, Rahimi said, the initial investigation suggested the attacker in this case was inside the hotel among the guests. The firing started from inside the hotel when the party started, he said, adding that he could initially confirm one attacker was resisting authorities and killed.
The Associated Press cited an American eyewitness who said that a party was being hosted at the hotel to honor a Canadian when the gunmen stormed the guesthouse. The eyewitness told the AP that as many as 40 people, including foreigners and U.S. citizens, were held hostage inside the hotel.
“We can confirm reports that a U.S. citizen was killed in the attack on a guest house in Kabul, Afghanistan on May 13, 2014,” a State Department official said.
“We have seen reports of other nationalities killed, as well, but cannot confirm them," the official added. "Our thoughts are with the families of the victims at this time.
“Our U.S. embassy in Kabul is in close contact with the Afghan authorities and is working to obtain more information," the official said.
Gen. Farid Afzali of the Kabul Police told ABC News separately that an injured American woman had been rescued from the Park Palace Hotel when police stormed the facility.
Details about the attack remained sketchy.
The hotel is located in a neighborhood that is home to United Nations compounds and a foreign-run hospital. It has guest rooms for visitors as well as a residential area for guests who live full time in Kabul.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.