| 2018 Inter-Continental Hotel Kabul attack | |
|---|---|
| Part of theWar in Afghanistan | |
 TheHotel Inter-Continental Kabul, where the attack took place | |
 Interactive map of 2018 Inter-Continental Hotel Kabul attack | |
| Location | 34°32′13″N69°07′31″E / 34.53694°N 69.12528°E /34.53694; 69.12528 Kabul, Afghanistan |
| Date | 20 January 2018 |
| Target | Foreign citizens andAfghan government officials |
Attack type | Shooting, hostage taking, arson |
| Deaths | 40 (+6 attackers)[1] |
| Injured | 14 |
| Perpetrators | Taliban |
On 20 January 2018, a group of four or five gunmen attacked theInter-Continental Hotel inKabul, Afghanistan, sparking a 12-hour battle.[2] The attack left 40 people dead including 14 foreigners, while 14 others were injured.[3][4]
Kabul was held by theNATO-supportedAfghan government, though both theTaliban andIslamic State were able to launch destructive attacks on the capital in the preceding months, including asuicide bombing less than a month prior to the Inter-Continental raid.
On 20 January 2018, around 21:00 local time[2] gunmen armed with light weapons androcket-propelled grenades stormed the Inter-Continental Hotel in Kabul, opening fire and taking hostages.[2][5][6] It is believed the gunmen targeted foreigners.[7]
Some hotel guests tried to escape the gunmen by tying bed sheets together and climbing down from the upper floors of the building, which was partially set on fire. Afghanspecial forces were lowered by helicopters onto the hotel's roof in an attempt to neutralize the attackers.[8] Later, soldiers from theAfghan National Army with the assistance of Norwegian special forces from theMarinejegerkommandoen[9][10] responded to the attack and exchanged gunfire with gunmen in the hotel.[2][11]
Afghan officials said the attack was over by the morning hours of 21 January, with four attackers and at least 18 others killed, including 14 foreigners.[8] More than 160 people had been rescued from the hotel, while a number of others remained missing. These included 16 employees of Afghan airlineKam Air, which announced that 11 out of the 42 people working for the company who had been present were killed during the attack, while 15 others survived.[8]
At least two senior Afghan officials said that Afghanistan'sintelligence agency had reports that the Pakistan-basedHaqqani network, an arm of the Taliban, was responsible for the attack.[12] The Taliban later claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, warning Afghan civilians to avoid locations frequented by foreigners.[8] Weeks prior to the attack, U.S. PresidentDonald Trump suspended military aid toPakistan accusing it of providing a safe haven for terrorist groups who launched attacks in Afghanistan.[13] On January 22, Trump pressured Pakistan to expel the Taliban and Haqqani leaders.[14]
TheAfghan interior ministry said aprivate firm had taken responsibility for securing the Intercontinental Hotel around three weeks before. The ministry said it was investigating how the attackers had managed to enter the building. Thirty-fourprovincial officials were gathered at the hotel to participate in aconference organized by theTelecommunication Ministry.[15] An official at that ministry said that more than 100IT managers andengineers were on site when the attack took place.[16]
Members of theAfghan parliament criticized the fact that the hotel's security was in the hands of a private company. Parliament announced plans to hold a special session regarding the issue.[17]
| Nationality | Deaths | Wounded | Total | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan | 25 | 12 | 37 | [4] |
 Ukraine | 7 | 0 | 7 | [18] |
 United States | 4 | 2 | 6 | [19] |
 Venezuela | 2 | 0 | 2 | [20][21] |
 Germany | 1 | 0 | 1 | [22] |
 Kazakhstan | 1 | 0 | 1 | [23] |
| Total | 40 | 14 | 54 | [1] |
Two were identified as Venezuelan pilots. Six Ukrainians and a citizen from Kazakhstan were among the dead.
