Four Indians among 14 killed in Kabul attack

Four Indians were among 14 people killed in a suspected Taliban attack on a guesthouse in Afghanistan's capital city of Kabul overnight on Wednesday, an Indian embassy source said on Thursday.

“Four Indians, including a lady, were killed in the attack,” the source told IANS over telephone. “Nine other foreigners were also killed in the attack,” the source added. Asked about the attackers, he said that they were “three to four” and suspected to be Taliban gunmen. All were killed in the seven-hour encounter that ended on Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, a top Afghan official has been quoted by an Afghan news agency as saying that the militants attacked the upscale Park Palace guesthouse in Kabul's Kolola Pushta late Wednesday night thinking that Indian Ambassador Amar Sinha was inside. Khaama Press quoted President Ashraf Ghani’s special envoy for good governance Ahmad Zia Massoud as telling reporters that the militants attacked the guesthouse thinking the Indian envoy was present in the premises.

Massoud visited the attack scene in Kabul late on Wednesday night and spoke to reporters there. “Massoud said the attack on Park Palace guesthouse is likely a political attack but he did not elaborate further,” the Khaama Press report said. “A security official earlier said a musical event was due to be organised, which was due to be attended by the Turkish and Indian guests as well Afghan nationals.”