The piano notes of Richard Clayderman`s &quot;Romeo and Juliet&quot; accompanied Taliban gunmen as they rode gold mirrored elevators to the upper floors of a luxury Kabul hotel in search of guests to kill.

Stopping on nearly every floor of the Intercontinental Hotel, the heavily armed militants went from room to room, blasting away electronic door locks and shooting terrified guests during the hours-long attack on January 20.

At least 25 people, including 15 foreigners, were killed. Nearly seven weeks on, media was allowed to inspect the still badly damaged hilltop hotel overlooking the Afghan capital after it partially reopened its doors to the wary public.

Having repaired the ground floor, workmen ride up and down the landmark hotel`s plush elevators as they strip and rebuild the upper four floors that were also shot up, bombed and set alight in the raid.

The soothing piano music inside the lifts, which sales and marketing manager Rohullah Nawab said was also playing that night, provides a chilling contrast to the destruction in the hallways and rooms.

The smell of smoke permeates the upper floors where bullet-riddled mirrors, blackened walls, shattered door locks and burned carpets provide a grim reminder of the carnage caused during the 15-hour ordeal.

Clear plastic sheets are draped over furniture stacked up in some rooms as workmen paint walls, replace electrical wiring and install new windows and doors.

Nawab estimates it will take five months and around 40 million afghanis (nearly $600,000) to restore the government-owned hotel - which does not belong to the global InterContinental chain - to its former glory.

Repairing its reputation, however, will probably take much longer.

On the night of the attack 173 guests had checked into the 200-room hotel, Nawab said. Since then not a single room on the first floor - the only one undamaged in the attack - has been reserved in recent weeks since it reopened.

The ground-floor restaurant, where militants pretending to be guests launched the assault by opening fire on diners, has been repaired and every trace of the bloody incident erased.

But the buffet lunch - salads and silver dishes of hot food - had no takers when reporters visited, and Nawab said only a handful of people had dared to eat there since the assault. The hotel`s revenues have been devastated, plunging from more than one million afghanis a day to around 50,000 afghanis, Nawab said, with a couple of wedding parties and official functions providing succour.

But Nawab is confident the hotel will remain open. &quot;It`s a historical hotel. The government will never close it,&quot; he said.

To entice people back, the Intercontinental, which opened in the 1960s, has launched a publicity campaign on Afghan television talking up its history and offering discounts of up to 50 per cent on food, rooms and events.

&quot;It takes a lot of time to get back to business. It shocked the foreign community,&quot; Nawab said.

Officials remain silent over how the attack was carried out. The interior ministry has submitted a report of its investigation to President Ashraf Ghani but there has been no public announcement.

Around a dozen hotel and security staff have been detained amid speculation the Taliban may have had insider help.

The deputy head of security told last month that guards were ordered to wave through a car later revealed to be carrying militants and explosives ahead of the deadly assault.

Visitors to the hotel reported lax security before the attack - something that does not appear to have changed.

When media visited this week the privately-owned Kabul Balkh Safety &amp; Security was still manning the vehicle checkpoints on the road leading up to the hotel, the only baggage scanner was still not working, and there were no armed guards inside the hotel.

Rohullah told that the hotel was waiting for the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan`s spy agency, to give advice on security upgrades.

Memories of the attack are still fresh in the minds of employees who returned to work several weeks after the raid.

Two waiters who jumped from the fourth floor are still in the hospital, said Nawab, who himself narrowly avoided being caught up in the shooting inside the restaurant.

At least 25 people, including 15 foreigners, were killed in the attack

The piano notes of Richard Clayderman`s "Romeo and Juliet" accompanied Taliban gunmen as they rode gold mirrored elevators to the upper floors of a luxury Kabul hotel in search of guests to kill. Stopping on nearly every floor of the Intercontinental Hotel, the heavily armed militants went from room to room, blasting away electronic door locks and shooting terrified guests during the hours-long attack on January 20. At least 25 people, including 15 foreigners, were killed. Nearly seven weeks on, media was allowed to inspect the still badly damaged hilltop hotel overlooking the Afghan capital after it partially reopened its doors to the wary public. Having repaired the ground floor, workmen ride up and down the landmark hotel`s plush elevators as they strip and rebuild the upper four floors that were also shot up, bombed and set alight in the raid. The soothing piano music inside the lifts, which sales and marketing manager Rohullah Nawab said was also playing that night, provides a chilling contrast to the destruction in the hallways and rooms. The smell of smoke permeates the upper floors where bullet-riddled mirrors, blackened walls, shattered door locks and burned carpets provide a grim reminder of the carnage caused during the 15-hour ordeal. Clear plastic sheets are draped over furniture stacked up in some rooms as workmen paint walls, replace electrical wiring and install new windows and doors. Nawab estimates it will take five months and around 40 million afghanis (nearly $600,000) to restore the government-owned hotel - which does not belong to the global InterContinental chain - to its former glory. Repairing its reputation, however, will probably take much longer. On the night of the attack 173 guests had checked into the 200-room hotel, Nawab said. Since then not a single room on the first floor - the only one undamaged in the attack - has been reserved in recent weeks since it reopened. The ground-floor restaurant, where militants pretending to be guests launched the assault by opening fire on diners, has been repaired and every trace of the bloody incident erased. But the buffet lunch - salads and silver dishes of hot food - had no takers when reporters visited, and Nawab said only a handful of people had dared to eat there since the assault. The hotel`s revenues have been devastated, plunging from more than one million afghanis a day to around 50,000 afghanis, Nawab said, with a couple of wedding parties and official functions providing succour. But Nawab is confident the hotel will remain open. "It`s a historical hotel. The government will never close it," he said. To entice people back, the Intercontinental, which opened in the 1960s, has launched a publicity campaign on Afghan television talking up its history and offering discounts of up to 50 per cent on food, rooms and events. "It takes a lot of time to get back to business. It shocked the foreign community," Nawab said. Officials remain silent over how the attack was carried out. The interior ministry has submitted a report of its investigation to President Ashraf Ghani but there has been no public announcement. Around a dozen hotel and security staff have been detained amid speculation the Taliban may have had insider help. The deputy head of security told last month that guards were ordered to wave through a car later revealed to be carrying militants and explosives ahead of the deadly assault. Visitors to the hotel reported lax security before the attack - something that does not appear to have changed. When media visited this week the privately-owned Kabul Balkh Safety & Security was still manning the vehicle checkpoints on the road leading up to the hotel, the only baggage scanner was still not working, and there were no armed guards inside the hotel. Rohullah told that the hotel was waiting for the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan`s spy agency, to give advice on security upgrades. Memories of the attack are still fresh in the minds of employees who returned to work several weeks after the raid. Two waiters who jumped from the fourth floor are still in the hospital, said Nawab, who himself narrowly avoided being caught up in the shooting inside the restaurant.

Kabul hotel reopens after deadly attack but guests stay away

The Islamic State group in Afghanistan is inviting Muslims worldwide to come to the war-torn country if they cannot reach Syria or Iraq, as it seeks to expand its foothold.

A 25-minute propaganda film released by the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K) on March 4 promotes IS strongholds in Afghanistan&#39;s north and east as an &quot;option for immigration&quot;, the SITE Intelligence Group said on Tuesday.

&quot;O you Muslims in every corner of the world! Immigrate to Khorasan! If you are incapable of immigrating to Iraq and Sham (Syria), come to Khorasan,&quot; a fighter said on the video.

The name Khorasan refers to a historic region which includes parts of modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and neighbouring countries.

The video comes amid growing concerns that IS fighters fleeing battlefields in Syria and Iraq are finding their way to Afghanistan, where the group has a small but potent presence.

It was recently reported that French and Algerian fighters, some arriving from Syria, had joined IS in the northern Afghan province of Jowzjan.

A German national was also recently arrested with the Taliban in the restive southern province of Helmand, Afghan officials said last week. He is one of the only Europeans found among the militants throughout the 16-year war.

The IS video published with an Arabic narration showed some fighters delivering messages in Pashto, Persian and Uzbek languages.&nbsp;

It opens with a narration mocking US President Donald Trump&#39;s vow to destroy the group in Afghanistan and goes on to show executions of prisoners and the training of child soldiers. &nbsp;

IS-K was attempting to turn &quot;rumours&quot; of foreign fighters moving to Afghanistan from Syria &quot;into reality&quot;, Borhan Osman, told by a senior analyst at International Crisis Group.

But the group would struggle to persuade fighters to travel as far as Afghanistan, said Emily Winterbotham, a senior research fellow at the UK-based Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies.

&quot;It&#39;s trying to keep IS-K viable and the IS-K brand going, but the reality is Afghanistan is still a long way away from Syria and Iraq - it&rsquo;s not an easy journey,&quot; she said.

The Islamic State group, or Daesh as it is locally known, first emerged in Afghanistan in 2014 as NATO combat troops withdrew from the country and handed over responsibility to Afghan security forces.

Since then, the group has carried out multiple attacks mostly in urban areas, killing hundreds of people across the country despite a US-led bombing campaign against their known hideouts.&nbsp;

Since 2016 it has dramatically escalated its attacks in Kabul, adding to the dangers already faced by civilians, with the UN citing the capital as one of the deadliest places in the country.

The Islamic State group in Afghanistan is inviting Muslims worldwide to come to Afghanistan if they cannot reach Syria or Iraq

The Islamic State group in Afghanistan is inviting Muslims worldwide to come to the war-torn country if they cannot reach Syria or Iraq, as it seeks to expand its foothold. A 25-minute propaganda film released by the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K) on March 4 promotes IS strongholds in Afghanistan's north and east as an "option for immigration", the SITE Intelligence Group said on Tuesday. "O you Muslims in every corner of the world! Immigrate to Khorasan! If you are incapable of immigrating to Iraq and Sham (Syria), come to Khorasan," a fighter said on the video. The name Khorasan refers to a historic region which includes parts of modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and neighbouring countries. The video comes amid growing concerns that IS fighters fleeing battlefields in Syria and Iraq are finding their way to Afghanistan, where the group has a small but potent presence. It was recently reported that French and Algerian fighters, some arriving from Syria, had joined IS in the northern Afghan province of Jowzjan. A German national was also recently arrested with the Taliban in the restive southern province of Helmand, Afghan officials said last week. He is one of the only Europeans found among the militants throughout the 16-year war. The IS video published with an Arabic narration showed some fighters delivering messages in Pashto, Persian and Uzbek languages. It opens with a narration mocking US President Donald Trump's vow to destroy the group in Afghanistan and goes on to show executions of prisoners and the training of child soldiers. IS-K was attempting to turn "rumours" of foreign fighters moving to Afghanistan from Syria "into reality", Borhan Osman, told by a senior analyst at International Crisis Group. But the group would struggle to persuade fighters to travel as far as Afghanistan, said Emily Winterbotham, a senior research fellow at the UK-based Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies. "It's trying to keep IS-K viable and the IS-K brand going, but the reality is Afghanistan is still a long way away from Syria and Iraq - it’s not an easy journey," she said. The Islamic State group, or Daesh as it is locally known, first emerged in Afghanistan in 2014 as NATO combat troops withdrew from the country and handed over responsibility to Afghan security forces. Since then, the group has carried out multiple attacks mostly in urban areas, killing hundreds of people across the country despite a US-led bombing campaign against their known hideouts. Since 2016 it has dramatically escalated its attacks in Kabul, adding to the dangers already faced by civilians, with the UN citing the capital as one of the deadliest places in the country.

IS group calls on Muslims to immigrate to Afghanistan

A German national has been <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistans-ghani-offers-peace-talks-with-taliban-without-condition-34324">arrested with the Taliban in Afghanistan&#39;s insurgency</a>-racked Helmand province, Afghan officials said, one of the only Europeans found among the militants throughout the 16-year war.

The man, who calls himself Abdul Wadood and was pictured wearing a black turban with a long, reddish beard, identified himself as a German resident of Frankfurt and spoke German, provincial officials and the Afghan army have said.

He was serving as an adviser to Maulavi Nasir, the commander of the Taliban&#39;s elite &quot;Red Unit&quot; in Helmand, said Abdul Qadeer Bahadurzai, a spokesman for the 215th Army Corps -- a claim that was also made by a local police chief.

The Taliban&#39;s Red Units serve as the insurgents&#39; special forces and have carried out many fatal attacks on the Afghan army and police.

Bahadurzai told AFP Thursday the man has no identity card or passport. There was no immediate statement from German officials in Kabul or Berlin.

Afghan commandos aided by the air force arrested the man during a raid on a Taliban mine-making centre in Gereshk district on Monday, officials said, adding that he was taken first to Camp Bastion and then on to Kandahar.

&quot;This is the first time a European national has been arrested in Helmand,&quot; Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor, told AFP.&nbsp;It is also believed to be one of the first times any European has been detained with the Taliban in Afghanistan since the US invasion in late 2001.

International forces fighting in the country have spoken in the past of hearing European accents on intercepted Taliban radio transmissions, and in 2009 NATO forces reportedly killed an unidentified insurgent with a tattoo of English football team Aston Villa.

But - unlike with international jihadist groups such as the Islamic State group or Al-Qaeda -- citizens of Western nations are almost unknown among the Taliban ranks, with most foreigners hailing from Pakistan, Central Asia or Arab nations.

Perhaps the most famous Western fighter was John Walker Lindh, the so-called &quot;American Taliban&quot;, who was captured in Afghanistan and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2002.

In the photographs shared by the Afghan military the man, who appears to be in his 40s, is flanked by two members of the Afghan special forces dressed in combat gear and with night vision goggles pulled up onto their helmets.

He is dressed in a traditional Afghan long shirt and wide trousers worn under a khaki military jacket.

Bahadurzai said three suspects were detained in total during the raid. &quot;Three Kalashnikovs, one machine gun, four walkie-talkies and dozens of landmines were confiscated from them,&quot; he added.

The German man, he said, spent four years in the city of Quetta in neighbouring Pakistan, long believed to be a refuge for Taliban militants.

The man also spent one year in Afghanistan&#39;s Paktia province near the Pakistani border, and one year with the Red Unit in the Taliban stronghold of Helmand, Bahadurzai said.

It was not clear if the information had been confirmed by Afghan officials.

German newspaper Die Welt reported Thursday that the man was a convert to Islam called &quot;Thomas K&quot; from Rhineland-Palatinate, near Frankfurt.

It said he had been known to authorities since 2009, and had travelled to Afghanistan in 2013 to join the Taliban, adding that German police had warned Kabul in 2014 that he could carry out a suicide attack targeting foreign interests.

The man&#39;s arrest came as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday unveiled a plan to open peace talks with the Taliban, including eventually recognising them as a political party, days after the militants called for direct negotiations with the US.

The apparent openness by both sides to some form of negotiations came as civilian casualties have soared in recent months in the conflict that has been described by US officials as a &quot;stalemate&quot;.

 
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In the photographs shared by the Afghan military the man, who appears to be in his 40s, is flanked by two members of the Afghan special forces

A German national has been arrested with the Taliban in Afghanistan's insurgency-racked Helmand province, Afghan officials said, one of the only Europeans found among the militants throughout the 16-year war. The man, who calls himself Abdul Wadood and was pictured wearing a black turban with a long, reddish beard, identified himself as a German resident of Frankfurt and spoke German, provincial officials and the Afghan army have said. He was serving as an adviser to Maulavi Nasir, the commander of the Taliban's elite "Red Unit" in Helmand, said Abdul Qadeer Bahadurzai, a spokesman for the 215th Army Corps -- a claim that was also made by a local police chief. The Taliban's Red Units serve as the insurgents' special forces and have carried out many fatal attacks on the Afghan army and police. Bahadurzai told AFP Thursday the man has no identity card or passport. There was no immediate statement from German officials in Kabul or Berlin. Afghan commandos aided by the air force arrested the man during a raid on a Taliban mine-making centre in Gereshk district on Monday, officials said, adding that he was taken first to Camp Bastion and then on to Kandahar. "This is the first time a European national has been arrested in Helmand," Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor, told AFP. It is also believed to be one of the first times any European has been detained with the Taliban in Afghanistan since the US invasion in late 2001. International forces fighting in the country have spoken in the past of hearing European accents on intercepted Taliban radio transmissions, and in 2009 NATO forces reportedly killed an unidentified insurgent with a tattoo of English football team Aston Villa. But - unlike with international jihadist groups such as the Islamic State group or Al-Qaeda -- citizens of Western nations are almost unknown among the Taliban ranks, with most foreigners hailing from Pakistan, Central Asia or Arab nations. Perhaps the most famous Western fighter was John Walker Lindh, the so-called "American Taliban", who was captured in Afghanistan and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2002. In the photographs shared by the Afghan military the man, who appears to be in his 40s, is flanked by two members of the Afghan special forces dressed in combat gear and with night vision goggles pulled up onto their helmets. He is dressed in a traditional Afghan long shirt and wide trousers worn under a khaki military jacket. Bahadurzai said three suspects were detained in total during the raid. "Three Kalashnikovs, one machine gun, four walkie-talkies and dozens of landmines were confiscated from them," he added. The German man, he said, spent four years in the city of Quetta in neighbouring Pakistan, long believed to be a refuge for Taliban militants. The man also spent one year in Afghanistan's Paktia province near the Pakistani border, and one year with the Red Unit in the Taliban stronghold of Helmand, Bahadurzai said. It was not clear if the information had been confirmed by Afghan officials. German newspaper Die Welt reported Thursday that the man was a convert to Islam called "Thomas K" from Rhineland-Palatinate, near Frankfurt. It said he had been known to authorities since 2009, and had travelled to Afghanistan in 2013 to join the Taliban, adding that German police had warned Kabul in 2014 that he could carry out a suicide attack targeting foreign interests. The man's arrest came as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday unveiled a plan to open peace talks with the Taliban, including eventually recognising them as a political party, days after the militants called for direct negotiations with the US. The apparent openness by both sides to some form of negotiations came as civilian casualties have soared in recent months in the conflict that has been described by US officials as a "stalemate".

Watch: German national with Taliban links arrested in Afghanistan's Helmand province

Gunmen killed at least five people and wounded eight others in an <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/attack-on-kabuls-intercontinental-hotel-continues-several-dead-30191" target="_blank">attack</a> on Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel, an official said Sunday, as the eleven hours-long siege continued. &nbsp;

"Five are dead," an official with the Afghan spy agency told AFP, adding 100 hostages have been released. &nbsp;

Afghan security forces were still trying to clear the landmark hilltop hotel with at least one attacker on the loose, a security source said.

Dramatic images broadcast on Afghanistan's Tolo News showed thick black smoke and flames billowing from the top floor of the hotel.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabuls-intercontinental-hotel-under-attack-by-at-least-four-gunmen-30184" target="_blank">Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel under attack 'by at least four gunmen'</a>

At least one person could be seen climbing over a top-floor balcony using bedsheets to escape, before loosing his grip and plunging to the ground.

Four gunmen burst into the hotel on Saturday night, opening fire on guests and staff and taking dozens of people hostage, including foreigners.&nbsp;

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest assault in the war-torn Afghan capital that followed a series of security warnings in recent days to avoid hotels and other locations frequented by foreigners.

The National Directorate of Security added that at least eight were wounded

Gunmen killed at least five people and wounded eight others in an attack on Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel, an official said Sunday, as the eleven hours-long siege continued. "Five are dead," an official with the Afghan spy agency told AFP, adding 100 hostages have been released. Afghan security forces were still trying to clear the landmark hilltop hotel with at least one attacker on the loose, a security source said. Dramatic images broadcast on Afghanistan's Tolo News showed thick black smoke and flames billowing from the top floor of the hotel. Also read: Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel under attack 'by at least four gunmen' At least one person could be seen climbing over a top-floor balcony using bedsheets to escape, before loosing his grip and plunging to the ground. Four gunmen burst into the hotel on Saturday night, opening fire on guests and staff and taking dozens of people hostage, including foreigners. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest assault in the war-torn Afghan capital that followed a series of security warnings in recent days to avoid hotels and other locations frequented by foreigners.

At least 5 dead in Kabul hotel attack, 100 hostages rescued: Afghan spy agency

At least four gunmen <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabuls-intercontinental-hotel-under-attack-by-at-least-four-gunmen-30184">attacked Kabul&#39;s landmark Intercontinental Hotel</a> in a night-time raid on Saturday and started shooting at guests and staff, officials said, in an hours-long assault that is still ongoing.

Afghan media is reporting multiple casualties in the attack.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack in the Afghan capital that followed a series of security warnings in recent days to avoid hotels and other locations frequented by foreigners.

"Four attackers are inside the building," an official at the National Directorate of Security (NDS) spy agency said.

They are "shooting at guests", he said.

A guest hiding in a room said he could hear gunfire inside the 1960s hilltop hotel where dozens of people attending an information technology conference on Sunday were staying.

"I don&#39;t know if the attackers are inside the hotel but I can hear gunfire from somewhere near the first floor," the man, who did not want to be named, said by telephone.

"We are hiding in our rooms. I beg the security forces to rescue us as soon as possible before they reach and kill us."

An official said the attackers were armed with small weapons and rocket-propelled grenades when they blasted their way into the hotel, which often hosts weddings, conferences and political gatherings.

"Seven wounded people have been taken to hospital," interior ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said, adding that two attackers have been killed.

"Some other guests have been rescued. We will be able to release casualty figures once the operation ends."

Rahimi said the first and second floors of the hotel have been secured by security forces, who are now trying to clear the fourth and fifth floors.

Special forces were being lowered by helicopters onto the rooftop of the hotel, he added.

The fourth floor of the hotel, which boasts several restaurants and an outdoor swimming pool, had been set on fire during the raid, the NDS official said.

"The operation will soon end and the attackers will be killed," interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said.

Security questioned

Authorities are already investigating how the attackers got past security which was taken over by a private company two weeks ago, Danish said.

"They probably used a back door in the kitchen to enter," he said.

Abdullah Sabet, an official at the communications and information technology ministry, said IT officials from around the country were staying at the hotel ahead of a conference on Sunday.

"There were 40 of them in the hotel. We don&#39;t know if any of them have been killed or wounded," Sabet said.

Security at the Intercontinental, which is not part of the global InterContinental chain, is relatively lax compared with other high-end hotels in Kabul.

A conference on Afghanistan-China relations was held in one of its function rooms earlier Saturday, attended by the Chinese embassy&#39;s political counsellor Zhang Zhixin.

An AFP reporter who attended the conference passed through two vehicle security checkpoints. At the entrance to the building there was a physical inspection that could be easily evaded by scaling a low-level barrier and entering the lobby. &nbsp;

Security alerts sent in recent days to foreigners living in Kabul warned that "extremist groups may be planning an attack against hotels in Kabul" as well as public gatherings and other locations "where foreigners are known to congregate".

The Intercontinental was last targeted in June 2011 when a suicide attack claimed by the Taliban killed 21 people, including 10 civilians.

Security in Kabul has been tightened since May 31 when a massive truck bomb ripped through the diplomatic quarter, killing some 150 people and wounding around 400 others - mostly civilians. No group has yet claimed that attack.

The Islamic State group has claimed most of the recent attacks in the Afghan capital, but authorities suspect that the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network has been involved in some of them.

The deadliest of the recent attacks happened at a Shiite cultural centre on December 29 when a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing more than 40 people.

The fourth floor of the hotel, which boasts several restaurants and an outdoor swimming pool, had been set on fire during the raid.

At least four gunmen attacked Kabul's landmark Intercontinental Hotel in a night-time raid on Saturday and started shooting at guests and staff, officials said, in an hours-long assault that is still ongoing. Afghan media is reporting multiple casualties in the attack. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack in the Afghan capital that followed a series of security warnings in recent days to avoid hotels and other locations frequented by foreigners. "Four attackers are inside the building," an official at the National Directorate of Security (NDS) spy agency said. They are "shooting at guests", he said. A guest hiding in a room said he could hear gunfire inside the 1960s hilltop hotel where dozens of people attending an information technology conference on Sunday were staying. "I don't know if the attackers are inside the hotel but I can hear gunfire from somewhere near the first floor," the man, who did not want to be named, said by telephone. "We are hiding in our rooms. I beg the security forces to rescue us as soon as possible before they reach and kill us." An official said the attackers were armed with small weapons and rocket-propelled grenades when they blasted their way into the hotel, which often hosts weddings, conferences and political gatherings. "Seven wounded people have been taken to hospital," interior ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said, adding that two attackers have been killed. "Some other guests have been rescued. We will be able to release casualty figures once the operation ends." Rahimi said the first and second floors of the hotel have been secured by security forces, who are now trying to clear the fourth and fifth floors. Special forces were being lowered by helicopters onto the rooftop of the hotel, he added. The fourth floor of the hotel, which boasts several restaurants and an outdoor swimming pool, had been set on fire during the raid, the NDS official said. "The operation will soon end and the attackers will be killed," interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. Security questioned Authorities are already investigating how the attackers got past security which was taken over by a private company two weeks ago, Danish said. "They probably used a back door in the kitchen to enter," he said. Abdullah Sabet, an official at the communications and information technology ministry, said IT officials from around the country were staying at the hotel ahead of a conference on Sunday. "There were 40 of them in the hotel. We don't know if any of them have been killed or wounded," Sabet said. Security at the Intercontinental, which is not part of the global InterContinental chain, is relatively lax compared with other high-end hotels in Kabul. A conference on Afghanistan-China relations was held in one of its function rooms earlier Saturday, attended by the Chinese embassy's political counsellor Zhang Zhixin. An AFP reporter who attended the conference passed through two vehicle security checkpoints. At the entrance to the building there was a physical inspection that could be easily evaded by scaling a low-level barrier and entering the lobby. Security alerts sent in recent days to foreigners living in Kabul warned that "extremist groups may be planning an attack against hotels in Kabul" as well as public gatherings and other locations "where foreigners are known to congregate". The Intercontinental was last targeted in June 2011 when a suicide attack claimed by the Taliban killed 21 people, including 10 civilians. Security in Kabul has been tightened since May 31 when a massive truck bomb ripped through the diplomatic quarter, killing some 150 people and wounding around 400 others - mostly civilians. No group has yet claimed that attack. The Islamic State group has claimed most of the recent attacks in the Afghan capital, but authorities suspect that the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network has been involved in some of them. The deadliest of the recent attacks happened at a Shiite cultural centre on December 29 when a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing more than 40 people.

Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel under attack, multiple casualties

A suicide bomber detonated his explosives near the diplomatic area of the Afghan capital on Saturday, killing at least one person, officials said.

&quot;This morning a suicide bomber blew up his explosives in Shash Darak area of Kabul, killing one and wounding six others,&quot; interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP.

A security source who requested not to be named said the explosion happened near a compound belonging to the National Directorate of Security (NDS), the Afghan intelligence agency.

The NDS compound is located near to the headquarters of NATO and the US embassy.

In December, a suicide attacker on foot blew himself up near the same compound, killing at least six civilians.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack in Kabul, which in recent months has become one of the deadliest places in war-torn Afghanistan for civilians.

Since mid-January, militants have stormed a luxury hotel, bombed a crowded street and raided a military compound in Kabul, killing more than 130 people.

The NDS compound is located near to the headquarters of NATO and the US embassy

A suicide bomber detonated his explosives near the diplomatic area of the Afghan capital on Saturday, killing at least one person, officials said. "This morning a suicide bomber blew up his explosives in Shash Darak area of Kabul, killing one and wounding six others," interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP. A security source who requested not to be named said the explosion happened near a compound belonging to the National Directorate of Security (NDS), the Afghan intelligence agency. The NDS compound is located near to the headquarters of NATO and the US embassy. In December, a suicide attacker on foot blew himself up near the same compound, killing at least six civilians. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack in Kabul, which in recent months has become one of the deadliest places in war-torn Afghanistan for civilians. Since mid-January, militants have stormed a luxury hotel, bombed a crowded street and raided a military compound in Kabul, killing more than 130 people.

Suicide bomber in Kabul kills one, injures six

A second Afghan provincial governor defied an attempt by President Ashraf Ghani to remove him on Sunday, deepening a political crisis that has underlined the weakness of the Western-backed government in Kabul.

Abdulkarim Khaddam, governor of the northern province of Samangan, followed the leader of neighbouring Balkh province, Atta Mohammad Noor, in rejecting an order to step down, issued last week as part of a shakeup of regional governors.

&quot;I do not accept my removal because it is political,&quot; Khaddam said in a televised statement. &quot;I have served Samangan well and my people won&#39;t let me go,&quot; he said.

Ghani has been struggling for weeks to resolve the conflict with Atta Noor, who has refused to cede the governorship of Balkh, a province straddling key trade routes into Central Asia that includes Afghanistan&#39;s second-biggest city Mazar-i Sharif.

With Taliban fighters active across much of the country and the capital Kabul regularly hit by devastating suicide attacks, the disputes have added to a picture of weakness and division that has undermined support for Ghani&#39;s government ahead of elections scheduled for this year.

It was unclear whether the dispute would threaten Ghani&#39;s government and Samangan, a mountainous and largely undeveloped region has little of the strategic importance of Balkh, one of the richest provinces in the country.

But the standoff has underlined the fractious political climate, marked by increasingly open divisions between Afghanistan&#39;s mix of different ethnicities.

Khaddam is an ethnic Turkman but both he and Atta Noor are from Jamiat-i Islami, a party mainly supported by Persian-speaking ethnic Tajiks that has been increasingly hostile to Ghani, an ethnic Pashtun.

Although Ghani nominally shares power with Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah from Jamiat, the two sides have become more and more alienated, with Jamiat accusing Ghani of monopolising power and favouring his own Pashtun supporters.

Formed in the wake of the disputed 2014 election that forced the two rival candidates Ghani and Abdullah into an uneasy partnership, the government has struggled to present a united front amid growing criticism of its handling of the insurgency.

The splits have been thrown into sharp relief by a row over new electronic ID cards, which have drawn bitter opposition as they register national identity as &quot;Afghan&quot;, a term used in the past for Pashtuns, traditionally the most powerful ethnic group.

Many Tajiks see the term as a means of entrenching longstanding Pashtun dominance and refuse to accept the cards.

In a symbolic move to build support for the new so-called &quot;e-tazkiras&quot;, Ghani and his wife, were among the first to take their new cards last week.

However, the move only underlined divisions in the government, with Jamiat leaders refusing to follow suit and declaring that the issue required a national consensus to be developed through further debate.

The standoff has underlined the fractious political climate in the country

A second Afghan provincial governor defied an attempt by President Ashraf Ghani to remove him on Sunday, deepening a political crisis that has underlined the weakness of the Western-backed government in Kabul. Abdulkarim Khaddam, governor of the northern province of Samangan, followed the leader of neighbouring Balkh province, Atta Mohammad Noor, in rejecting an order to step down, issued last week as part of a shakeup of regional governors. "I do not accept my removal because it is political," Khaddam said in a televised statement. "I have served Samangan well and my people won't let me go," he said. Ghani has been struggling for weeks to resolve the conflict with Atta Noor, who has refused to cede the governorship of Balkh, a province straddling key trade routes into Central Asia that includes Afghanistan's second-biggest city Mazar-i Sharif. With Taliban fighters active across much of the country and the capital Kabul regularly hit by devastating suicide attacks, the disputes have added to a picture of weakness and division that has undermined support for Ghani's government ahead of elections scheduled for this year. It was unclear whether the dispute would threaten Ghani's government and Samangan, a mountainous and largely undeveloped region has little of the strategic importance of Balkh, one of the richest provinces in the country. But the standoff has underlined the fractious political climate, marked by increasingly open divisions between Afghanistan's mix of different ethnicities. Khaddam is an ethnic Turkman but both he and Atta Noor are from Jamiat-i Islami, a party mainly supported by Persian-speaking ethnic Tajiks that has been increasingly hostile to Ghani, an ethnic Pashtun. Although Ghani nominally shares power with Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah from Jamiat, the two sides have become more and more alienated, with Jamiat accusing Ghani of monopolising power and favouring his own Pashtun supporters. Formed in the wake of the disputed 2014 election that forced the two rival candidates Ghani and Abdullah into an uneasy partnership, the government has struggled to present a united front amid growing criticism of its handling of the insurgency. The splits have been thrown into sharp relief by a row over new electronic ID cards, which have drawn bitter opposition as they register national identity as "Afghan", a term used in the past for Pashtuns, traditionally the most powerful ethnic group. Many Tajiks see the term as a means of entrenching longstanding Pashtun dominance and refuse to accept the cards. In a symbolic move to build support for the new so-called "e-tazkiras", Ghani and his wife, were among the first to take their new cards last week. However, the move only underlined divisions in the government, with Jamiat leaders refusing to follow suit and declaring that the issue required a national consensus to be developed through further debate.

Second Afghan governor defies President Ghani

&nbsp;Nearly 2,300 civilians were killed or wounded in suicide bombings and attacks in Afghanistan in 2017, more than any previous year of the conflict on record, a UN report said today.

The figures come as militants ramp up their assaults on urban areas, after US President Donald Trump said last August the American presence in Afghanistan would remain open-ended and Washington stepped up airstrikes on rural militant strongholds.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that civilian deaths across the country dipped by nine per cent in 2017, with 10,453 total civilian casualties including 3,438 deaths and 7,015 wounded.

But as the Taliban and the Islamic State group have come under more pressure they have increasingly carried out indiscriminate assaults in cities.

As a result, casualties from suicide bombings and attacks jumped by 17 per cent.

&quot;2017 recorded the highest number of civilian casualties from suicide and complex attacks in a single year in Afghanistan,&quot; the report said, with 605 killed and 1,690 wounded from such incidents.

The capital remained a top target, with 16 per cent of all casualties during the year - a total of 1,831 people killed and wounded - occurring in Kabul alone.

&quot;Afghan civilians have been killed going about their daily lives -- travelling on a bus, praying in a mosque, simply walking past a building that was targeted,&quot; Zeid Ra&#39;ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, was quoted as saying in the report.

&quot;When we see civilians being deliberately targeted, you wonder how long that this (has) to go on,&quot; Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN&#39;s special representative in Afghanistan, told a press conference in Kabul Thursday. 
Militants claim to represent Afghan interests but are &quot;killing people in the most appalling manner, creating terror and suffering&quot;, he said.

Things have not improved so far in 2018, and he warned the UN is concerned it will see &quot;greater harm this year&quot;.

Since January 20, militants have stormed a luxury hotel, bombed a crowded street and raided a military compound in Kabul, killing more than 130 people.

The majority of the victims in 2017 were killed or wounded by anti-government insurgents, according to the report.

However pro-government forces, including international troops, were responsible for 20 per cent of the civilian casualties -- a seven percent increase from 2016.

The casualties by pro-government forces were mainly caused by the increase in aerial bombings by Afghan and foreign forces, the UNAMA said. The US is the only international force known to be carrying out airstrikes in Afghanistan.

More than 28,000 civilians have been killed and over 52,000 wounded in Afghanistan since 2009 when officials started documenting the casualties, according to the UN.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan reported that civilian deaths across the country dipped by nine per cent in 2017

Nearly 2,300 civilians were killed or wounded in suicide bombings and attacks in Afghanistan in 2017, more than any previous year of the conflict on record, a UN report said today. The figures come as militants ramp up their assaults on urban areas, after US President Donald Trump said last August the American presence in Afghanistan would remain open-ended and Washington stepped up airstrikes on rural militant strongholds. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that civilian deaths across the country dipped by nine per cent in 2017, with 10,453 total civilian casualties including 3,438 deaths and 7,015 wounded. But as the Taliban and the Islamic State group have come under more pressure they have increasingly carried out indiscriminate assaults in cities. As a result, casualties from suicide bombings and attacks jumped by 17 per cent. "2017 recorded the highest number of civilian casualties from suicide and complex attacks in a single year in Afghanistan," the report said, with 605 killed and 1,690 wounded from such incidents. The capital remained a top target, with 16 per cent of all casualties during the year - a total of 1,831 people killed and wounded - occurring in Kabul alone. "Afghan civilians have been killed going about their daily lives -- travelling on a bus, praying in a mosque, simply walking past a building that was targeted," Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, was quoted as saying in the report. "When we see civilians being deliberately targeted, you wonder how long that this (has) to go on," Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN's special representative in Afghanistan, told a press conference in Kabul Thursday. Militants claim to represent Afghan interests but are "killing people in the most appalling manner, creating terror and suffering", he said. Things have not improved so far in 2018, and he warned the UN is concerned it will see "greater harm this year". Since January 20, militants have stormed a luxury hotel, bombed a crowded street and raided a military compound in Kabul, killing more than 130 people. The majority of the victims in 2017 were killed or wounded by anti-government insurgents, according to the report. However pro-government forces, including international troops, were responsible for 20 per cent of the civilian casualties -- a seven percent increase from 2016. The casualties by pro-government forces were mainly caused by the increase in aerial bombings by Afghan and foreign forces, the UNAMA said. The US is the only international force known to be carrying out airstrikes in Afghanistan. More than 28,000 civilians have been killed and over 52,000 wounded in Afghanistan since 2009 when officials started documenting the casualties, according to the UN.

2,300 civilians killed or wounded in suicide bombings in Afghanistan last year: UN report

The <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Taliban" pg="AS1_InlineMedia#AS1_https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/afghan-taliban-say-they-want-to-end-war-through-dialogue/articleshow/62931819.cms~Taliban-https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Taliban">Taliban</a> said on Wednesday, in a rare statement to the American people, they wanted to end <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Afghanistan" pg="AS1_InlineMedia#AS1_https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/afghan-taliban-say-they-want-to-end-war-through-dialogue/articleshow/62931819.cms~Afghanistan-https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Afghanistan">Afghanistan</a>&#39;s 17-year war through talks, while warning the message should not be seen as a sign of weakness and the fight against US forces would go on.

A more aggressive US strategy in Afghanistan including a surge in air strikes introduced by President <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Donald-Trump" pg="AS1_InlineMedia#AS1_https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/afghan-taliban-say-they-want-to-end-war-through-dialogue/articleshow/62931819.cms~Donald Trump-https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Donald-Trump">Donald Trump</a> in August has pushed the Taliban back from several district centres and two provincial capitals. 
 
But the terrorists control large parts of the countryside and have responded to the more aggressive US strategy with two attacks in Kabul in the past few weeks, killing nearly 150 people. 
 
The attacks have toughened both the US and Afghan governments&#39; stand against initiating talks with the insurgents, although neither side seems capable of winning the conflict. 
 
&quot;Our preference is to solve the Afghan issue through peaceful dialogue,&quot; the Taliban said.

The Taliban, fighting to oust foreign forces and defeat the US-backed government, said the United States must end its &quot;occupation&quot; and accept the Taliban right to form a government &quot;consistent with the beliefs of our people&quot;. 
 
In their statement, the Taliban did not mention a January 27 raid on a top Kabul hotel, in which more than 30 people were killed, nor a bomb attack on a crowded street a week later that killed more than 100. They claimed both attacks. 
 
The terrorists only mentioned the Afghan government to deride it on various grounds. A government spokesman declined to comment on the statement. 
 
&#39;Louder than words&#39; 
 
A spokesman for Afghanistan&#39;s NATO-led military mission said the recent Taliban attacks on civilians demonstrated they were not ready to enter &quot;good-faith peace negotiations&quot; while the government had on numerous occasions made clear it was willing to begin a peace process. 
 
&quot;The Taliban statement alone does not show willingness to engage in peace talks. The recent attacks speak louder than these words,&quot; said the spokesman, Captain Tom Gresback. 
 
The Taliban said it was not too late for the American people to realise the Taliban can solve problems with every side &quot;through healthy politics and dialogue&quot;, adding the chances for dialogue were &quot;not exhausted&quot;. 
 
Preliminary talks on ending the war that kills thousands of people each year have stalled.

But low-level contacts between the government, international groups including the <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/United-Nations" pg="AS1_InlineMedia#AS1_https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/afghan-taliban-say-they-want-to-end-war-through-dialogue/articleshow/62931819.cms~United Nations-https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/United-Nations">United Nations</a> and groups close to the Taliban have continued even as the insurgency has escalated. 
 
Progress has been blocked by the deep mistrust between the government and the Taliban, as well as uncertainty about the role of neighbours including Pakistan, which Afghanistan has long accused of aiding the insurgents.

Pakistan rejects accusations that it sponsors the Taliban. 
 
The Taliban said their willingness to play a &quot;constructive role in finding a peaceful solution&quot; should not be taken as a sign of weakness. 
 
&quot;This can never mean that we are exhausted or our will has been sapped,&quot; they said. 
 
They said they had no intention to damage any other country or let anyone use Afghan territory against anyone else.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The terrorists only mentioned the Afghan government to deride it on various grounds

The Taliban said on Wednesday, in a rare statement to the American people, they wanted to end Afghanistan's 17-year war through talks, while warning the message should not be seen as a sign of weakness and the fight against US forces would go on. A more aggressive US strategy in Afghanistan including a surge in air strikes introduced by President Donald Trump in August has pushed the Taliban back from several district centres and two provincial capitals. But the terrorists control large parts of the countryside and have responded to the more aggressive US strategy with two attacks in Kabul in the past few weeks, killing nearly 150 people. The attacks have toughened both the US and Afghan governments' stand against initiating talks with the insurgents, although neither side seems capable of winning the conflict. "Our preference is to solve the Afghan issue through peaceful dialogue," the Taliban said. The Taliban, fighting to oust foreign forces and defeat the US-backed government, said the United States must end its "occupation" and accept the Taliban right to form a government "consistent with the beliefs of our people". In their statement, the Taliban did not mention a January 27 raid on a top Kabul hotel, in which more than 30 people were killed, nor a bomb attack on a crowded street a week later that killed more than 100. They claimed both attacks. The terrorists only mentioned the Afghan government to deride it on various grounds. A government spokesman declined to comment on the statement. 'Louder than words' A spokesman for Afghanistan's NATO-led military mission said the recent Taliban attacks on civilians demonstrated they were not ready to enter "good-faith peace negotiations" while the government had on numerous occasions made clear it was willing to begin a peace process. "The Taliban statement alone does not show willingness to engage in peace talks. The recent attacks speak louder than these words," said the spokesman, Captain Tom Gresback. The Taliban said it was not too late for the American people to realise the Taliban can solve problems with every side "through healthy politics and dialogue", adding the chances for dialogue were "not exhausted". Preliminary talks on ending the war that kills thousands of people each year have stalled. But low-level contacts between the government, international groups including the United Nations and groups close to the Taliban have continued even as the insurgency has escalated. Progress has been blocked by the deep mistrust between the government and the Taliban, as well as uncertainty about the role of neighbours including Pakistan, which Afghanistan has long accused of aiding the insurgents. Pakistan rejects accusations that it sponsors the Taliban. The Taliban said their willingness to play a "constructive role in finding a peaceful solution" should not be taken as a sign of weakness. "This can never mean that we are exhausted or our will has been sapped," they said. They said they had no intention to damage any other country or let anyone use Afghan territory against anyone else.

Afghan Taliban say they want to end war through dialogue

Afghanistan Sunday declared a day of national mourning as the toll for those killed by a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance in Kabul topped 100 people and tensions remained high after insurgents struck in the city for the second time in a week.&nbsp;

At least 103 people were killed and 235 wounded in Saturday`s lunchtime attack claimed by the Taliban, which caused panic in the war-torn capital and overwhelmed its hospitals.&nbsp;

Kabul remained on high alert as the presidential palace declared a national day of mourning for Sunday, with flags flying at half-mast. The attack was one of the worst to strike the capital in recent years.&nbsp;

Central Kabul was unusually quiet on Sunday, a normal workday in Afghanistan, with little traffic and few people on the streets.&nbsp;

In contrast, security checkpoints have been beefed up, particularly near the blast scene, as the city braced for the possibility of further violence.&nbsp;

A security alert issued on Sunday warned that the Islamic State group -- which claimed a deadly attack on Save the Children`s office in Afghanistan`s east on Wednesday -- was planning to attack supermarkets and shops in Kabul frequented by foreigners.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump called for &quot;decisive action&quot; against the Taliban over the assault as other international leaders also condemned the attack.

Afghan authorities gave an updated toll Sunday for those killed and maimed in the huge blast.&nbsp;

&quot;Unfortunately a number of wounded people have died in hospital. The number of martyrs is now 103 and wounded is 235,&quot; Interior Minister Wais Barmak told reporters.&nbsp;

Most of the victims were relatives of patients at a nearby hospital, said Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, the head of Afghanistan`s spy agency, describing the attack as a reaction by the Taliban to losses on the battlefield.&nbsp;

&quot;It does not mean a lapse (in security). We have foiled many attacks, but some are difficult to control,&quot; the head of National Directorate of Security told reporters.

Ordinary Afghans took to social media to express their anguish and sorrow at rapidly worsening security as the Taliban and IS militants step up attacks on Kabul, turning it into one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians.&nbsp;

&quot;We are so heartbroken in Kabul that we don`t know how to start our new day,&quot; Freshta Karim wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;

&quot;Shall we stay home or go to work, shall we meet our friends and cry or shall we force ourselves to create an illusion of hope? How are you starting your day in Kabul?&quot;&nbsp;

Naser Danesh tweeted: &quot;In Kabul starting a day without explosion, it would be a surprise. One could only imagine that kind of a day.&quot;

On Facebook, Naweed Qaderi wrote: &quot;It is a big shame for the government, they repeatedly fail to protect people. The leaders must lose a son or daughter to feel the pain of poor people.&quot;&nbsp;

The blast happened in a crowded area of the city where several high-profile organisations including the European Union have offices.

The force of the explosion shook the windows of buildings hundreds of metres away and caused some low-rise structures in the immediate vicinity to collapse.

The scene of the attack was scattered with body parts, blood and debris. Children were among the wounded. The government has blamed the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network, which Afghan and Western officials suspect of involvement in at least some of the recent attacks in the capital.&nbsp;

Aerial footage showed two ambulances -- the second one driven by the suicide attacker -- approaching the first checkpoint, Barmak told reporters.&nbsp;

Police checked the first vehicle and, assuming the two ambulances were together, waved them through, he said.&nbsp;

Both ambulances went to the parking lot of the Jamhuriat hospital. After 20 minutes the suicide attacker drove on to the second checkpoint.&nbsp;

&quot;At the second checkpoint he was recognised and blew (up) his explosive-laden car,&quot; interior ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said earlier. He said four suspects had been arrested.

The attack came exactly a week after Taliban insurgents stormed Kabul`s landmark Intercontinental hotel and killed at least 25 people, the majority foreigners.

But there is still confusion over the true toll from that attack with conflicting figures given by officials and Afghan media reporting higher numbers.

Stanekzai said five people had been arrested so far over the hotel raid.&nbsp;

Some foreign organisations are reassessing their presence in Afghanistan following the spate of deadly violence.

The Aga Khan Foundation is moving its foreign staff out of the country, several sources told AFP.

At least one Western humanitarian group is relocating its foreign staff to other cities in Afghanistan, a source said.

At least 103 people were killed and 235 wounded in Saturday`s lunchtime attack claimed by the Taliban, which caused panic in the war-torn capital and overwhelmed its hospitals.

Afghanistan Sunday declared a day of national mourning as the toll for those killed by a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance in Kabul topped 100 people and tensions remained high after insurgents struck in the city for the second time in a week. At least 103 people were killed and 235 wounded in Saturday`s lunchtime attack claimed by the Taliban, which caused panic in the war-torn capital and overwhelmed its hospitals. Kabul remained on high alert as the presidential palace declared a national day of mourning for Sunday, with flags flying at half-mast. The attack was one of the worst to strike the capital in recent years. Central Kabul was unusually quiet on Sunday, a normal workday in Afghanistan, with little traffic and few people on the streets. In contrast, security checkpoints have been beefed up, particularly near the blast scene, as the city braced for the possibility of further violence. A security alert issued on Sunday warned that the Islamic State group -- which claimed a deadly attack on Save the Children`s office in Afghanistan`s east on Wednesday -- was planning to attack supermarkets and shops in Kabul frequented by foreigners. US President Donald Trump called for "decisive action" against the Taliban over the assault as other international leaders also condemned the attack. Afghan authorities gave an updated toll Sunday for those killed and maimed in the huge blast. "Unfortunately a number of wounded people have died in hospital. The number of martyrs is now 103 and wounded is 235," Interior Minister Wais Barmak told reporters. Most of the victims were relatives of patients at a nearby hospital, said Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, the head of Afghanistan`s spy agency, describing the attack as a reaction by the Taliban to losses on the battlefield. "It does not mean a lapse (in security). We have foiled many attacks, but some are difficult to control," the head of National Directorate of Security told reporters. Ordinary Afghans took to social media to express their anguish and sorrow at rapidly worsening security as the Taliban and IS militants step up attacks on Kabul, turning it into one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians. "We are so heartbroken in Kabul that we don`t know how to start our new day," Freshta Karim wrote on Twitter. "Shall we stay home or go to work, shall we meet our friends and cry or shall we force ourselves to create an illusion of hope? How are you starting your day in Kabul?" Naser Danesh tweeted: "In Kabul starting a day without explosion, it would be a surprise. One could only imagine that kind of a day." On Facebook, Naweed Qaderi wrote: "It is a big shame for the government, they repeatedly fail to protect people. The leaders must lose a son or daughter to feel the pain of poor people." The blast happened in a crowded area of the city where several high-profile organisations including the European Union have offices. The force of the explosion shook the windows of buildings hundreds of metres away and caused some low-rise structures in the immediate vicinity to collapse. The scene of the attack was scattered with body parts, blood and debris. Children were among the wounded. The government has blamed the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network, which Afghan and Western officials suspect of involvement in at least some of the recent attacks in the capital. Aerial footage showed two ambulances -- the second one driven by the suicide attacker -- approaching the first checkpoint, Barmak told reporters. Police checked the first vehicle and, assuming the two ambulances were together, waved them through, he said. Both ambulances went to the parking lot of the Jamhuriat hospital. After 20 minutes the suicide attacker drove on to the second checkpoint. "At the second checkpoint he was recognised and blew (up) his explosive-laden car," interior ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said earlier. He said four suspects had been arrested. The attack came exactly a week after Taliban insurgents stormed Kabul`s landmark Intercontinental hotel and killed at least 25 people, the majority foreigners. But there is still confusion over the true toll from that attack with conflicting figures given by officials and Afghan media reporting higher numbers. Stanekzai said five people had been arrested so far over the hotel raid. Some foreign organisations are reassessing their presence in Afghanistan following the spate of deadly violence. The Aga Khan Foundation is moving its foreign staff out of the country, several sources told AFP. At least one Western humanitarian group is relocating its foreign staff to other cities in Afghanistan, a source said.

Kabul on high alert after ambulance bomb toll tops 100

The Ministry of External Affairs has strongly condemned the massive suicide-bomb&nbsp;explosion in Kabul.&nbsp;

The official release noted that the &quot;barbaric and dastardly terrorist attacks in Kabul targeted innocent civilians and the wounded under treatment.&quot;

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India stands in solidarity with Govt &amp; people of Afghanistan at this difficult time of mindless violence &amp; terror imposed on them. We convey our heartfelt condolences to next of kins of victims of these terror attacks &amp; pray for speedy recovery to those injured: MEA <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KabulAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KabulAttack</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/957229857150189570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Ministry called the attack &quot;reprehensible&quot; noting that no justification for the tragedy would suffice.

&quot;The perpetrators of these attacks and their supporters should be brought to justice,&quot; the release noted.&nbsp;

The Indian External Affairs department expressed its complete solidarity and utmost support with the Government and the people of Afghanistan.&nbsp;

&quot;We convey our heartfelt condolences to the next of kins of victims of these terror attacks and pray for a speedy recovery to those injured,&quot; noted the release which was tweeted by Raveesh Kumar, the official spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, India.&nbsp;

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India strongly condemns the barbaric and dastardly terrorist attacks in Kabul today. Full Press Release available at <a href="https://t.co/pPMhgb3tdz">https://t.co/pPMhgb3tdz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/IndianEmbKabul?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndianEmbKabul</a>
&mdash; Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/957235485033705472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The MEA also worded its commitment to extend &quot;all possible assistance, including for treatment of those injured.&quot;

An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-40-dead-140-wounded-after-massive-suicide-bomb-explosion-rocks-kabul-30897">Kabul on Saturday</a>&nbsp;in one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years.

The horrific explosion came just a couple of days after gunmen stormed the office compound of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-blast-outside-save-the-children-in-jalalabad-30587">Save the Children charity in Jalalabad</a>, Afghanistan on Wednesday morning.

The Ministry further called the attack "reprehensible" noting that no justification for the tragedy would suffice.

The Ministry of External Affairs has strongly condemned the massive suicide-bomb explosion in Kabul. The official release noted that the "barbaric and dastardly terrorist attacks in Kabul targeted innocent civilians and the wounded under treatment." India stands in solidarity with Govt & people of Afghanistan at this difficult time of mindless violence & terror imposed on them. We convey our heartfelt condolences to next of kins of victims of these terror attacks & pray for speedy recovery to those injured: MEA #KabulAttack — ANI (@ANI) January 27, 2018 × The Ministry called the attack "reprehensible" noting that no justification for the tragedy would suffice. "The perpetrators of these attacks and their supporters should be brought to justice," the release noted. The Indian External Affairs department expressed its complete solidarity and utmost support with the Government and the people of Afghanistan. "We convey our heartfelt condolences to the next of kins of victims of these terror attacks and pray for a speedy recovery to those injured," noted the release which was tweeted by Raveesh Kumar, the official spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, India. India strongly condemns the barbaric and dastardly terrorist attacks in Kabul today. Full Press Release available at https://t.co/pPMhgb3tdz @IndianEmbKabul — Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) January 27, 2018 × The MEA also worded its commitment to extend "all possible assistance, including for treatment of those injured." An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul on Saturday in one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years. The horrific explosion came just a couple of days after gunmen stormed the office compound of the Save the Children charity in Jalalabad, Afghanistan on Wednesday morning.

India reacts to Kabul explosion: 'The perpetrators should be brought to justice,' says MEA

At least four gunmen attacked Kabul&#39;s landmark Intercontinental Hotel on Saturday and started shooting at guests, officials said, in an assault that is still under way.

&quot;Four attackers are inside the building,&quot; news agency AFP quoted an official at the National Directorate of Security (NDS) spy agency.

They are &quot;shooting at guests&quot;, he said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest in a long series of attacks to hit Kabul.

A guest hiding in a room told AFP he could hear gunfire inside the state-owned 1960s hotel.

&quot;I don&#39;t know if the attackers are inside the hotel but I can hear gunfire from somewhere near the first floor,&quot; he said by telephone without giving his name.

&quot;We are hiding in our rooms. I beg the security forces to rescue us as soon as possible before they reach and kill us.&quot;

Some of the occupants inside the hotel are hiding on the second floor, a security source said.

Electricity was cut after an initial explosion at the hilltop hotel, a counterterrorism source said.

News agency Reuters spoke to hotel manager Ahmad Haris Nayab, who managed to escape unhurt. He said the attackers had managed to get inside and people were fleeing amid bursts of gunfire on all sides, but he could say nothing about any casualties.

Afghan interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said details of the raid, which came days after a US embassy warning of possible attacks on hotels in the capital, were unclear, but the attackers appeared to have included suicide bombers.

Another official said the attackers were armed with small weapons and rocket-propelled grenades when they blasted their way into the hotel, which often hosts weddings, conferences and political gatherings.

A conference on Afghanistan-China relations was held at the hotel earlier on Saturday, attended by the Chinese embassy&#39;s political counsellor Zhang Zhixin.

The hotel, located on a hilltop and heavily protected like most public buildings in the city, was previously attacked by Taliban fighters in 2011.

It is one of Kabul&#39;s two main luxury hotels and is used for events including conferences attended by government officials.

On Thursday, the US embassy in Kabul issued a warning to US citizens, saying &quot;We are aware of reports that extremist groups may be planning an attack against hotels in Kabul&quot;.

Although the NATO-led Resolute Support mission says the Taliban has come under pressure after the United States increased assistance to Afghan security forces and stepped up air strikes against the insurgents, security remains precarious.

As pressure on the battlefield has increased, security officials have warned that the danger of attacks on high profile targets in Kabul and other cities would increase.

While it shares the same name, the hotel in Kabul is not part of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), which issued a statement in 2011 saying that &quot;the hotel Inter-continental in Kabul is not part of IHG and has not been since 1980&quot;.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest in a long series of attacks to hit Afghanistan's capital.

At least four gunmen attacked Kabul's landmark Intercontinental Hotel on Saturday and started shooting at guests, officials said, in an assault that is still under way. "Four attackers are inside the building," news agency AFP quoted an official at the National Directorate of Security (NDS) spy agency. They are "shooting at guests", he said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest in a long series of attacks to hit Kabul. A guest hiding in a room told AFP he could hear gunfire inside the state-owned 1960s hotel. "I don't know if the attackers are inside the hotel but I can hear gunfire from somewhere near the first floor," he said by telephone without giving his name. "We are hiding in our rooms. I beg the security forces to rescue us as soon as possible before they reach and kill us." Some of the occupants inside the hotel are hiding on the second floor, a security source said. Electricity was cut after an initial explosion at the hilltop hotel, a counterterrorism source said. News agency Reuters spoke to hotel manager Ahmad Haris Nayab, who managed to escape unhurt. He said the attackers had managed to get inside and people were fleeing amid bursts of gunfire on all sides, but he could say nothing about any casualties. Afghan interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said details of the raid, which came days after a US embassy warning of possible attacks on hotels in the capital, were unclear, but the attackers appeared to have included suicide bombers. Another official said the attackers were armed with small weapons and rocket-propelled grenades when they blasted their way into the hotel, which often hosts weddings, conferences and political gatherings. A conference on Afghanistan-China relations was held at the hotel earlier on Saturday, attended by the Chinese embassy's political counsellor Zhang Zhixin. The hotel, located on a hilltop and heavily protected like most public buildings in the city, was previously attacked by Taliban fighters in 2011. It is one of Kabul's two main luxury hotels and is used for events including conferences attended by government officials. On Thursday, the US embassy in Kabul issued a warning to US citizens, saying "We are aware of reports that extremist groups may be planning an attack against hotels in Kabul". Although the NATO-led Resolute Support mission says the Taliban has come under pressure after the United States increased assistance to Afghan security forces and stepped up air strikes against the insurgents, security remains precarious. As pressure on the battlefield has increased, security officials have warned that the danger of attacks on high profile targets in Kabul and other cities would increase. While it shares the same name, the hotel in Kabul is not part of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), which issued a statement in 2011 saying that "the hotel Inter-continental in Kabul is not part of IHG and has not been since 1980".

Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel under attack 'by at least four gunmen'

The death toll from a devastating suicide bomb blast in Kabul has risen to 103 with hundreds more wounded, officials said Sunday, making it the worst attack in the Afghan capital in months.

&quot;Unfortunately a number of wounded people have died in hospital. The number of martyrs is now 103,&quot; interior minister Wais Barmak told reporters, adding that another 235 were wounded.

An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-40-dead-140-wounded-after-massive-suicide-bomb-explosion-rocks-kabul-30897">Kabul </a>on Saturday in one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years.

The Taliban-claimed assault -- the second carried out by the militant group in the Afghan capital in a week -- triggered chaotic scenes as terrified survivors fled the area scattered with body parts, blood and debris, and hospitals were overwhelmed by a large number of wounded.

The blast happened in an area where several high-profile organisations, including the European Union, have offices. Members of the EU delegation in Kabul were in their &quot;safe room&quot; and there were no casualties.&nbsp;

US President Donald on Sunday asked countries to take&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-attack-donald-trump-seeks-decisive-action-against-taliban-30943">decisive action</a>&nbsp;against the Taliban and the terrorist infrastructure that supports them, in an indirect but obvious reference to Pakistan.

The<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabul-explosion-the-perpetrators-of-these-dastardly-attacks-should-be-brought-to-justice-says-ministry-of-external-affairs-30922">&nbsp;Ministry of External Affairs</a>&nbsp;has strongly condemned the massive suicide-bomb&nbsp;explosion in Kabul.&nbsp;The official release noted that the &quot;barbaric and dastardly terrorist attacks in Kabul targeted innocent civilians and the wounded under treatment.&quot;

<a href="http://wioncms.cloudapp.net/dashboard/webdesk/addeditstory.aspx">Pakistan</a>, on Saturday, strongly condemned the&nbsp;terror attack in Kabul that claimed at least 95 lives and called for cooperation among countries for effectively combating and eliminating the scourge of terrorism.

An ambulance packed with explosives blew up in a crowded area of Kabul on Saturday

The death toll from a devastating suicide bomb blast in Kabul has risen to 103 with hundreds more wounded, officials said Sunday, making it the worst attack in the Afghan capital in months. "Unfortunately a number of wounded people have died in hospital. The number of martyrs is now 103," interior minister Wais Barmak told reporters, adding that another 235 were wounded. An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul on Saturday in one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years. The Taliban-claimed assault -- the second carried out by the militant group in the Afghan capital in a week -- triggered chaotic scenes as terrified survivors fled the area scattered with body parts, blood and debris, and hospitals were overwhelmed by a large number of wounded. The blast happened in an area where several high-profile organisations, including the European Union, have offices. Members of the EU delegation in Kabul were in their "safe room" and there were no casualties. US President Donald on Sunday asked countries to take decisive action against the Taliban and the terrorist infrastructure that supports them, in an indirect but obvious reference to Pakistan. The Ministry of External Affairs has strongly condemned the massive suicide-bomb explosion in Kabul. The official release noted that the "barbaric and dastardly terrorist attacks in Kabul targeted innocent civilians and the wounded under treatment." Pakistan, on Saturday, strongly condemned the terror attack in Kabul that claimed at least 95 lives and called for cooperation among countries for effectively combating and eliminating the scourge of terrorism.

Kabul explosion: Death toll increases to 103

A woman staff member of&nbsp;the United Nations was abducted on Monday morning from the Khair Khana area of Kabul, Afghanistan.

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A staff member of United Nations &amp; her child kidnapped early Monday morning in Khair Khana in Kabul city. The woman had reportedly been on her way to drop her child off at school before heading to work when she was abducted: TOLOnews <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/955324301170786304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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According to reports, the woman was on her way to drop her child off at school before leaving for work.

The child she was dropping off was also abducted with her.

Further details of the incident are awaited.

Meanwhile, on Saturday night, six civilians were killed and three injured in the Taliban attack at the Intercontinental hotel which was scheduled to host an IT conference on January 21.

According to reports, the woman was on her way to drop her child off at school before leaving for work

A woman staff member of the United Nations was abducted on Monday morning from the Khair Khana area of Kabul, Afghanistan. A staff member of United Nations & her child kidnapped early Monday morning in Khair Khana in Kabul city. The woman had reportedly been on her way to drop her child off at school before heading to work when she was abducted: TOLOnews #Afghanistan — ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2018 × According to reports, the woman was on her way to drop her child off at school before leaving for work. The child she was dropping off was also abducted with her. Further details of the incident are awaited. Meanwhile, on Saturday night, six civilians were killed and three injured in the Taliban attack at the Intercontinental hotel which was scheduled to host an IT conference on January 21.

Afghanistan: UN staff member abducted in Kabul

Just a few days after the major attack in Kabul&rsquo;s Intercontinental Hotel which killed around 22 people, the US White House directed Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel the Taliban&#39;s leaders who operate from Pakistani territory.

&quot;We call on Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel the Taliban&#39;s leaders and prevent the group from using Pakistani territory to support its operations,&quot; White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference.

&quot;In Afghanistan, where terrorists attacked a hotel in Kabul, such attacks on civilians only strengthen our resolve to support our Afghan partners,&quot; Sanders said.

&quot;We commend the swift and effective response of the Afghan security forces. Afghan forces, with our support, will continue to relentlessly pursue the enemies of Afghanistan, who also seek to export terror around the world,&quot; she said.

Shortly after the instructions by the White House Pakistani ambassador to the US stated that Pakistan had already removed them and their facilities.

Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry further gave an &ldquo;open challenge&rdquo; to anyone who could point to surviving safe havens, claiming that military forces had &ldquo;cleaned out&rdquo; all terrorists, their &ldquo;hideouts and sanctuaries and their IED (improvised explosive devices) factories&rdquo; from Pakistan in operations since 2014 and &ldquo;when somebody turns around and tells us that there are safe havens existing there we say to them please show us where&rdquo;.

The Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which happened on Saturday, in which at least 22 civilians were killed, including foreign nationals. The six attackers were killed by Afghan forces, the government in Kabul had said. The Afghan government did not mention Pakistan.

&nbsp;

(With PTI inputs)

Shortly after the instructions by the White House Pakistani ambassador to the US stated that Pakistan had already removed them and their facilities

Just a few days after the major attack in Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel which killed around 22 people, the US White House directed Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel the Taliban's leaders who operate from Pakistani territory. "We call on Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel the Taliban's leaders and prevent the group from using Pakistani territory to support its operations," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference. "In Afghanistan, where terrorists attacked a hotel in Kabul, such attacks on civilians only strengthen our resolve to support our Afghan partners," Sanders said. "We commend the swift and effective response of the Afghan security forces. Afghan forces, with our support, will continue to relentlessly pursue the enemies of Afghanistan, who also seek to export terror around the world," she said. Shortly after the instructions by the White House Pakistani ambassador to the US stated that Pakistan had already removed them and their facilities. Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry further gave an “open challenge” to anyone who could point to surviving safe havens, claiming that military forces had “cleaned out” all terrorists, their “hideouts and sanctuaries and their IED (improvised explosive devices) factories” from Pakistan in operations since 2014 and “when somebody turns around and tells us that there are safe havens existing there we say to them please show us where”. The Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which happened on Saturday, in which at least 22 civilians were killed, including foreign nationals. The six attackers were killed by Afghan forces, the government in Kabul had said. The Afghan government did not mention Pakistan. (With PTI inputs)

US tells Pakistan to 'immediately arrest or expel Taliban from its soil,' Pakistan asks for proof

Afghanistan&#39;s Interior Ministry has said the attack on Kabul&#39;s Intercontinental Hotel is over.&nbsp;

The siege -- which began on Saturday night -- lasted for close to 12 hours.&nbsp;

The interior ministry said three attackers had been killed. It added that 126 people, including 41 foreigners, had been rescued.&nbsp;

And that five civilians had been killed and six wounded.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-five-dead-in-kabul-hotel-attack-afghan-spy-agency-30204" target="_blank">At least 5 dead in Kabul hotel attack, 100 hostages rescued: Afghan spy agency</a>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabuls-intercontinental-hotel-under-attack-by-at-least-four-gunmen-30184">Kabul&#39;s Intercontinental Hotel under attack &#39;by at least four gunmen&#39;</a>

The attackers had barged into the hotel on Saturday night, which was due to host an IT conference today.&nbsp;

&quot;Four attackers are inside the building,&quot; an official at the National Directorate of Security (NDS) spy agency told AFP at the beginning of the attack. They are &quot;shooting at guests&quot;, he said.

Hotel guests inside, speaking to people outside, said they saw scenes of celebration turn into a chaotic nightmare in a minute. And that they saw people running in terror, some of them falling as they got hit by bullets.&nbsp;

News reports had quoted a number of guests saying over the phone that were hiding in their rooms, and begging the security services to come rescue them. Later, the reports said, they found the guests&#39; phones switched off.&nbsp;

Special forces were early Sunday morning dropped onto the roof of the luxury hotel by helicopter.&nbsp;

By the time the siege got over, thick black smoke was billowing out of parts of the hotel.&nbsp;

Local television channel TOLO News however is still reporting that the sound of gunfire can be heard emanating from the hotel.&nbsp;

And some media outlets are reporting that the final death count is six, not five. And that the dead include a foreigner -- a woman.&nbsp;

So far, nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Kabul Intercontinental however was also attacked in 2011 by the Taliban.&nbsp;

Afghanistan's Interior Ministry said 126 people, including 41 foreigners, had been rescued

Afghanistan's Interior Ministry has said the attack on Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel is over. The siege -- which began on Saturday night -- lasted for close to 12 hours. The interior ministry said three attackers had been killed. It added that 126 people, including 41 foreigners, had been rescued. And that five civilians had been killed and six wounded. Also read: At least 5 dead in Kabul hotel attack, 100 hostages rescued: Afghan spy agency Also read: Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel under attack 'by at least four gunmen' The attackers had barged into the hotel on Saturday night, which was due to host an IT conference today. "Four attackers are inside the building," an official at the National Directorate of Security (NDS) spy agency told AFP at the beginning of the attack. They are "shooting at guests", he said. Hotel guests inside, speaking to people outside, said they saw scenes of celebration turn into a chaotic nightmare in a minute. And that they saw people running in terror, some of them falling as they got hit by bullets. News reports had quoted a number of guests saying over the phone that were hiding in their rooms, and begging the security services to come rescue them. Later, the reports said, they found the guests' phones switched off. Special forces were early Sunday morning dropped onto the roof of the luxury hotel by helicopter. By the time the siege got over, thick black smoke was billowing out of parts of the hotel. Local television channel TOLO News however is still reporting that the sound of gunfire can be heard emanating from the hotel. And some media outlets are reporting that the final death count is six, not five. And that the dead include a foreigner -- a woman. So far, nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Kabul Intercontinental however was also attacked in 2011 by the Taliban.

Kabul hotel siege over after close to 12 hours, 3 attackers killed: Government

Four heavily-armed gunmen raided Kabul`s landmark Intercontinental Hotel on Saturday, shooting at guests and staff and setting the building on fire, officials said, in an hours-long assault that is still ongoing.

Local television channel Tolo News is reporting that at least 15 people have been killed or wounded.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Special forces were lowered by helicopters onto the roof of the luxury hilltop hotel during the siege, interior ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told AFP, adding two attackers had been killed.&nbsp;

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest assault in the war-torn Afghan capital that followed a series of security warnings in recent days to avoid hotels and other locations frequented by foreigners.

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<h5>We are hiding in our rooms. I beg the security forces to rescue us as soon as possible before they reach and kill us&#39;</h5>
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It is not clear how many people are still inside the hotel, which was previously attacked by Taliban militants in 2011, or whether any foreigners are among them.

&quot;Four attackers are inside the building,&quot; an official at the National Directorate of Security (NDS) spy agency told AFP at the beginning of the attack. They are &quot;shooting at guests&quot;, he said.

A guest hiding in a room told AFP he could hear gunfire inside the 1960s hotel where dozens of people attending an information technology conference on Sunday were staying.

&quot;I don`t know if the attackers are inside the hotel but I can hear gunfire from somewhere near the first floor,&quot; the man, who did not want to be named, said by telephone.

&quot;We are hiding in our rooms. I beg the security forces to rescue us as soon as possible before they reach and kill us.&quot;

His phone was switched off when AFP tried to contact him again.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kabuls-intercontinental-hotel-under-attack-by-at-least-four-gunmen-30184" target="_blank">Kabul&#39;s Intercontinental Hotel under attack &#39;by at least four gunmen&#39;</a>

Rahimi said the attackers were armed with small weapons and rocket-propelled grenades when they stormed the hotel, which is a popular venue for weddings, conferences and political gatherings.

&quot;Seven wounded people have been taken to hospital,&quot; Rahimi said.

&quot;Some other guests have been rescued. We will be able to release casualty figures once the operation ends.&quot;&nbsp;

But several hours after the attack started Afghan security spokesmen switched off their mobile phones or refused to answer AFP`s calls for an update.

Afghan media is reporting multiple casualties in the attack, which comes days after a UN Security Council delegation visited Kabul for a close-up view of the conflict.

The fourth floor of the hotel, which boasts several restaurants and an outdoor swimming pool, had been set on fire during the raid, the NDS official said.The last major attack on a high-end hotel in Kabul was in March 2014 when four teenage gunmen raided the Serena, killing nine people including an AFP journalist.&nbsp;

The Intercontinental was targeted in June 2011 when a suicide attack claimed by the Taliban killed 21 people, including 10 civilians.

Even before Saturday`s attack was over, authorities were questioning how the assailants got past the hotel`s security, which was taken over by a private company two weeks ago, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP.

&quot;They probably used a back door in the kitchen to enter,&quot; he said.

Abdullah Sabet, an official at the communications and information technology ministry, said IT officials from around the country were staying at the hotel ahead of a conference on Sunday.&nbsp;

&quot;There were 40 of them in the hotel. We don`t know if any of them have been killed or wounded,&quot; Sabet said.

Security at the Intercontinental, which is not part of the global InterContinental chain, is relatively lax compared with other luxury hotels in Kabul.

A conference on Afghanistan-China relations was held in one of its function rooms earlier Saturday, attended by the Chinese embassy`s political counsellor Zhang Zhixin.

An AFP reporter who attended the conference passed through two vehicle security checkpoints. At the entrance to the building, there was a physical inspection that could be easily evaded by scaling a low-level barrier and entering the lobby.&nbsp;

Security alerts sent in recent days to foreigners living in the Afghan capital warned that &quot;extremist groups may be planning an attack against hotels in Kabul&quot; as well as public gatherings and other locations &quot;where foreigners are known to congregate&quot;.

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said it was not known if any American citizens had been caught up in the attack.

Security in Kabul has been tightened since May 31 when a massive truck bomb ripped through the diplomatic quarter, killing some 150 people and wounding around 400 others -- mostly civilians. No group has yet claimed that attack.

The Islamic State group has claimed most of the recent attacks in the Afghan capital, but authorities suspect that the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network has been involved in at least some of them.&nbsp;

The deadliest of the recent attacks happened at a Shiite cultural centre on December 29 when a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing more than 40 people.

The attack began Saturday. 'Four attackers are inside the building,' an official at the National Directorate of Security spy agency said. They are 'shooting at guests'

Four heavily-armed gunmen raided Kabul`s landmark Intercontinental Hotel on Saturday, shooting at guests and staff and setting the building on fire, officials said, in an hours-long assault that is still ongoing. Local television channel Tolo News is reporting that at least 15 people have been killed or wounded. Special forces were lowered by helicopters onto the roof of the luxury hilltop hotel during the siege, interior ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told AFP, adding two attackers had been killed. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest assault in the war-torn Afghan capital that followed a series of security warnings in recent days to avoid hotels and other locations frequented by foreigners. We are hiding in our rooms. I beg the security forces to rescue us as soon as possible before they reach and kill us' × It is not clear how many people are still inside the hotel, which was previously attacked by Taliban militants in 2011, or whether any foreigners are among them. "Four attackers are inside the building," an official at the National Directorate of Security (NDS) spy agency told AFP at the beginning of the attack. They are "shooting at guests", he said. A guest hiding in a room told AFP he could hear gunfire inside the 1960s hotel where dozens of people attending an information technology conference on Sunday were staying. "I don`t know if the attackers are inside the hotel but I can hear gunfire from somewhere near the first floor," the man, who did not want to be named, said by telephone. "We are hiding in our rooms. I beg the security forces to rescue us as soon as possible before they reach and kill us." His phone was switched off when AFP tried to contact him again. Also read: Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel under attack 'by at least four gunmen' Rahimi said the attackers were armed with small weapons and rocket-propelled grenades when they stormed the hotel, which is a popular venue for weddings, conferences and political gatherings. "Seven wounded people have been taken to hospital," Rahimi said. "Some other guests have been rescued. We will be able to release casualty figures once the operation ends." But several hours after the attack started Afghan security spokesmen switched off their mobile phones or refused to answer AFP`s calls for an update. Afghan media is reporting multiple casualties in the attack, which comes days after a UN Security Council delegation visited Kabul for a close-up view of the conflict. The fourth floor of the hotel, which boasts several restaurants and an outdoor swimming pool, had been set on fire during the raid, the NDS official said.The last major attack on a high-end hotel in Kabul was in March 2014 when four teenage gunmen raided the Serena, killing nine people including an AFP journalist. The Intercontinental was targeted in June 2011 when a suicide attack claimed by the Taliban killed 21 people, including 10 civilians. Even before Saturday`s attack was over, authorities were questioning how the assailants got past the hotel`s security, which was taken over by a private company two weeks ago, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP. "They probably used a back door in the kitchen to enter," he said. Abdullah Sabet, an official at the communications and information technology ministry, said IT officials from around the country were staying at the hotel ahead of a conference on Sunday. "There were 40 of them in the hotel. We don`t know if any of them have been killed or wounded," Sabet said. Security at the Intercontinental, which is not part of the global InterContinental chain, is relatively lax compared with other luxury hotels in Kabul. A conference on Afghanistan-China relations was held in one of its function rooms earlier Saturday, attended by the Chinese embassy`s political counsellor Zhang Zhixin. An AFP reporter who attended the conference passed through two vehicle security checkpoints. At the entrance to the building, there was a physical inspection that could be easily evaded by scaling a low-level barrier and entering the lobby. Security alerts sent in recent days to foreigners living in the Afghan capital warned that "extremist groups may be planning an attack against hotels in Kabul" as well as public gatherings and other locations "where foreigners are known to congregate". US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said it was not known if any American citizens had been caught up in the attack. Security in Kabul has been tightened since May 31 when a massive truck bomb ripped through the diplomatic quarter, killing some 150 people and wounding around 400 others -- mostly civilians. No group has yet claimed that attack. The Islamic State group has claimed most of the recent attacks in the Afghan capital, but authorities suspect that the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network has been involved in at least some of them. The deadliest of the recent attacks happened at a Shiite cultural centre on December 29 when a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing more than 40 people.

Attack on Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel continues, several dead

Pakistan today strongly condemned a terror attack in Kabul that claimed at least 95 lives and called for cooperation among countries for effectively combating and eliminating the scourge of terrorism.

An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul today, killing at least 95 people and wounding 158 others, officials said, in one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years.

Condemning the terror attack, Pakistan emphasised on the need for concerted efforts and effective cooperation among the states to eradicate the scourge of terrorism.

&quot;No cause or ends justify acts of terrorism against innocent people. We emphasise the need for concerted efforts and effective cooperation among the states to eradicate the scourge of terrorism,&quot; the Foreign Office said.

&quot;We convey our deepest sympathies for those who have lost their loved ones and our sincere prayers and wishes are for early recovery of those who have sustained injuries in this dreadful terror attack,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Condemning the terror attack, Pakistan emphasised on the need for concerted efforts and effective cooperation among the states

Pakistan today strongly condemned a terror attack in Kabul that claimed at least 95 lives and called for cooperation among countries for effectively combating and eliminating the scourge of terrorism. An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul today, killing at least 95 people and wounding 158 others, officials said, in one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years. Condemning the terror attack, Pakistan emphasised on the need for concerted efforts and effective cooperation among the states to eradicate the scourge of terrorism. "No cause or ends justify acts of terrorism against innocent people. We emphasise the need for concerted efforts and effective cooperation among the states to eradicate the scourge of terrorism," the Foreign Office said. "We convey our deepest sympathies for those who have lost their loved ones and our sincere prayers and wishes are for early recovery of those who have sustained injuries in this dreadful terror attack," he said.

Pakistan calls for cooperation for combating terrorism

As gunmen went on a night-time rampage through <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gunfire-and-explosions-rock-kabul-hotel-as-siege-draws-to-an-end-30232" target="_blank">Kabul&#39;s Intercontinental Hotel</a> on Saturday, Aziz Tayeb posted a desperate plea on Facebook: &quot;Pray for me. I may die.&quot;&nbsp;

The telecom executive hid behind a pillar as four heavily-armed attackers stormed the luxury hotel and began spraying terrified guests and staff with bullets.&nbsp;

At least six people were killed, including a foreigner, and eight wounded in the 12-hour ordeal as the attackers engaged in a fierce gunfight with Afghan security forces.&nbsp;

&quot;I saw people who were enjoying themselves a second ago screaming and fleeing like crazy, and some of them falling down, hit by bullets,&quot; Tayeb told AFP on Sunday, hours after his traumatic experience ended.

One colleague, who had been stuck on the fifth floor of the six-storey building throughout the attack, told Tayeb that some areas of the hotel resembled a butcher&#39;s shop with blood everywhere.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The attackers were eventually killed.&nbsp;

Tayeb, a regional director for Afghan Telecom in the western city of Herat, was staying at the hilltop hotel -- not part of the global InterContinental chain -- with dozens of industry colleagues from around the country ahead of an annual conference due to begin on Sunday.

The gunmen shot at people who had been enjoying dinner in one of the hotel restaurants before breaking into guest rooms and taking dozens of hostages including foreigners, witnesses said. 
Tayeb and a few friends managed to escape to the hotel&#39;s outdoor pool area where they hid, listening to the horrifying attack metres away.&nbsp;

&quot;I could repeatedly hear blasts one after another, hand grenades, they used many grenades,&quot; he said, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

&quot;We contacted security officials who arrived an hour later and as we were being escorted out I saw five or six bodies outside the hotel.

&quot;The second, third and fifth floors were on fire -- the fifth floor was engulfed in flames.&quot;&nbsp;

Once he was a safe distance from the hotel, Tayeb called his colleagues still trapped inside the burning building.&nbsp;

&quot;Some were crying that they would die of smoke inhalation,&quot; he said.

Dramatic television footage from Afghanistan&#39;s Tolo News showed people trapped on balconies at the top of the building climbing down bedsheets to escape, with at least one losing his grip and falling.

Security staff fled

A witness told AFP that the hotel&#39;s security team fled &quot;without a fight&quot;, leaving guests to their fate.

&quot;They didn&#39;t attack. They didn&#39;t do anything to them. They had no experience,&quot; said the 24-year-old man, a hotel employee who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.

He ran from the hotel with some of them, he said. &quot;I was asking them, where should I go?&quot;

An interior ministry spokesman has confirmed to AFP that the hotel&#39;s security had been taken over by a private company just three weeks earlier. No hotel official was immediately able to comment.&nbsp;

As he waited for news of his colleagues, Tayeb updated his Facebook status to thank his friends for their prayers.

&quot;Staying alive in this country is a mere coincidence,&quot; he wrote, before making another plea.&nbsp;

&quot;More than a 100 of my colleagues and friends are caught between life and death. Please pray for them.&quot;

It was too late for one of them: the interior ministry confirmed at least one person involved in the conference was among the dead.

At least six people were killed, including a foreigner, and eight wounded in the 12-hour ordeal as the attackers engaged in a fierce gunfight with Afghan security forces

As gunmen went on a night-time rampage through Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel on Saturday, Aziz Tayeb posted a desperate plea on Facebook: "Pray for me. I may die." The telecom executive hid behind a pillar as four heavily-armed attackers stormed the luxury hotel and began spraying terrified guests and staff with bullets. At least six people were killed, including a foreigner, and eight wounded in the 12-hour ordeal as the attackers engaged in a fierce gunfight with Afghan security forces. "I saw people who were enjoying themselves a second ago screaming and fleeing like crazy, and some of them falling down, hit by bullets," Tayeb told AFP on Sunday, hours after his traumatic experience ended. One colleague, who had been stuck on the fifth floor of the six-storey building throughout the attack, told Tayeb that some areas of the hotel resembled a butcher's shop with blood everywhere. The attackers were eventually killed. Tayeb, a regional director for Afghan Telecom in the western city of Herat, was staying at the hilltop hotel -- not part of the global InterContinental chain -- with dozens of industry colleagues from around the country ahead of an annual conference due to begin on Sunday. The gunmen shot at people who had been enjoying dinner in one of the hotel restaurants before breaking into guest rooms and taking dozens of hostages including foreigners, witnesses said. Tayeb and a few friends managed to escape to the hotel's outdoor pool area where they hid, listening to the horrifying attack metres away. "I could repeatedly hear blasts one after another, hand grenades, they used many grenades," he said, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "We contacted security officials who arrived an hour later and as we were being escorted out I saw five or six bodies outside the hotel. "The second, third and fifth floors were on fire -- the fifth floor was engulfed in flames." Once he was a safe distance from the hotel, Tayeb called his colleagues still trapped inside the burning building. "Some were crying that they would die of smoke inhalation," he said. Dramatic television footage from Afghanistan's Tolo News showed people trapped on balconies at the top of the building climbing down bedsheets to escape, with at least one losing his grip and falling. Security staff fled A witness told AFP that the hotel's security team fled "without a fight", leaving guests to their fate. "They didn't attack. They didn't do anything to them. They had no experience," said the 24-year-old man, a hotel employee who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity. He ran from the hotel with some of them, he said. "I was asking them, where should I go?" An interior ministry spokesman has confirmed to AFP that the hotel's security had been taken over by a private company just three weeks earlier. No hotel official was immediately able to comment. As he waited for news of his colleagues, Tayeb updated his Facebook status to thank his friends for their prayers. "Staying alive in this country is a mere coincidence," he wrote, before making another plea. "More than a 100 of my colleagues and friends are caught between life and death. Please pray for them." It was too late for one of them: the interior ministry confirmed at least one person involved in the conference was among the dead.

'Pray for me': Kabul hotel guest's plea during bloody siege

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/kabul-on-high-alert-after-ambulance-bomb-toll-tops-100-30992">Kabul on high alert after ambulance bomb toll tops 100</a>

Afghanistan Sunday declared a day of national mourning as the toll for those killed by a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance in Kabul topped 100 people and tensions remained high after insurgents struck in the city for the second time in a week.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/roger-federer-wins-australian-open-2018-mens-singles-30991">Roger Federer wins Australian Open 2018 Men&#39;s Singles</a>

Switzerland&#39;s Roger Federer claimed a record-equalling sixth Australian Open title with a 6-2 6-7(5) 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory over Croatia&#39;s Marin Cilic on Sunday. The 36-year-old defending champion won the opening set in 24 minutes under the Rod Laver Arena roof before Cilic, playing his first final in Melbourne, found his range with a barrage of big hitting to drag the showpiece match into a deciding set.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/five-arrested-over-kabul-intercontinental-hotel-shooting-30990">Five arrested over Kabul Intercontinental hotel shooting</a>

Local media of Afghanistan has reported the arrest of five persons in connection with the January 21 attack on the Intercontinental hotel in Kabul. At least four Taliban gunmen attacked Kabul&#39;s landmark Intercontinental Hotel on Saturday and started shooting at guests, which went on for 12 hours.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/yemen-pm-accuses-separatists-of-coup-after-hq-takeover-30986">Yemen PM accuses separatists of coup after HQ takeover</a>

Yemen&#39;s Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher on Sunday accused southern separatists of attempting a coup in the interim capital of Aden after they took over the government headquarters.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/anger-grows-in-kabul-after-attack-kills-nearly-100-30976">Anger grows in Kabul after attack kills 103</a>

Anger was growing in Kabul Sunday, a day after a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance killed 103 people and wounded scores more, highlighting the ability of insurgents to strike at the heart of Afghanistan. The attack, which was claimed by the Taliban, took lives of 103 people and left 235 wounded.

Kabul on high alert after ambulance bomb toll tops 100 Afghanistan Sunday declared a day of national mourning as the toll for those killed by a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance in Kabul topped 100 people and tensions remained high after insurgents struck in the city for the second time in a week. Roger Federer wins Australian Open 2018 Men's Singles Switzerland's Roger Federer claimed a record-equalling sixth Australian Open title with a 6-2 6-7(5) 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory over Croatia's Marin Cilic on Sunday. The 36-year-old defending champion won the opening set in 24 minutes under the Rod Laver Arena roof before Cilic, playing his first final in Melbourne, found his range with a barrage of big hitting to drag the showpiece match into a deciding set. Five arrested over Kabul Intercontinental hotel shooting Local media of Afghanistan has reported the arrest of five persons in connection with the January 21 attack on the Intercontinental hotel in Kabul. At least four Taliban gunmen attacked Kabul's landmark Intercontinental Hotel on Saturday and started shooting at guests, which went on for 12 hours. Yemen PM accuses separatists of coup after HQ takeover Yemen's Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher on Sunday accused southern separatists of attempting a coup in the interim capital of Aden after they took over the government headquarters. Anger grows in Kabul after attack kills 103 Anger was growing in Kabul Sunday, a day after a huge bomb hidden in an ambulance killed 103 people and wounded scores more, highlighting the ability of insurgents to strike at the heart of Afghanistan. The attack, which was claimed by the Taliban, took lives of 103 people and left 235 wounded.

WION Evening News Brief, January 28, 2018

A multi-million dollar plan to issue new electronic identity cards ahead of elections in Afghanistan has stirred heated debate and ethnic animosity, raising political tension just as the country faces a stepped-up campaign of Taliban attacks.

The dispute is over how nationality will be designated on the new cards, with leading figures from some ethnic groups rejecting the term &quot;Afghan&quot;.

The controversy highlights the difficulties of reaching agreement on just about anything in the diverse, faction-ridden country and comes as President Ashraf Ghani, an ethnic Pashtun, is locked in confrontation with the powerful ethnic Tajik governor of a northern province.

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Politicians from Afghanistan&#39;s main ethnic group, the Pashtuns, say nationalities should be recorded as &quot;Afghan&quot;. But that is a term that in the past was used to refer to Pashtuns, and members of other ethnic groups object to its use.

&quot;Our ethnicity is our identity and any ID card with the name &#39;Afghan&#39; on it, will never be acceptable to us. There&#39;s no compromise,&quot; said Farhad Sediqi, an outspoken Tajik lawmaker.

&quot;We&#39;d prefer to have &#39;Islamic Republic of Afghanistan&#39; on the identity cards and that covers everything.&quot;

President Ashraf Ghani, who is Pashtun, has delayed the launch of the cards and called for a solution.

But tempers are running high and several sessions of parliament called to debate the matter in recent weeks have ended with exchanges of barbs and threats.

One Pashtun member of parliament, Saheb Khan, warned the assembly he would fight to the death against anyone who did not accept the word Afghan on the ID cards.

&quot;I will defend to the last drop of my blood my identity that is Afghan and it must be included in the document,&quot; he later told Reuters.

The dispute has sparked some protests in Kabul by Pashtuns calling on the government not to bow to the demands of other groups.

No census has been conducted in Afghanistan for decades and estimates of the size of different groups are contentious. Pashtuns and Tajiks are the two main groups with smaller numbers of Hazara, Uzbeks and others.

Hazara member of parliament Mohammad Akbari said the use of the word Afghan was an unfair imposition on non-Pashtuns.

&quot;This is a country of all of us, not only Pashtuns,&quot; Akbari told Reuters.

Fragile government

Ghani issued a decree last year on amendments to the law to include nationality, ethnicity and religion on the cards but parliament rejected it. Various amendments have been floated since then but the deadlock continues.

Afghanistan&#39;s former kings were Pashtun, as was Ghani&#39;s predecessor, Hamid Karzai. But ethnic Tajiks rose to powerful positions in government, the military and security services after the ouster of the mostly Pashtun Taliban in 2001.

The current government emerged from a U.S.-brokered power-sharing deal after a disputed 2014 election when both Ghani and his main rival, Abdullah Abdullah, who draws support from Tajiks, claimed victory amid accusations of fraud on both sides.

The deal has been beset by disputes, partly over appointments being carved up along ethnic lines.

Ghani&#39;s stand-off with Balkh Governor Atta Mohammad Noor, who is Tajik and who is defying efforts to replace him, has threatened to destabilise the administration and raised fears the government could try to use force to break the stalemate.

Such fears revive memories of civil war in the 1990s, fought largely along ethnic lines, in which more than 100,000 people were killed.

Ghani is also facing pressure to improve security after a Taliban bomb in Kabul killed 103 people, a week after a raid on a hotel killed some 30 people.

The ID cards, known as e-Tazkira, are seen as an important step to avoid fraud in delayed parliamentary elections, due this year, and a presidential election next year.

The dispute is over how nationality will be designated on the new cards, with leading figures from some ethnic groups rejecting the term 'Afghan'

A multi-million dollar plan to issue new electronic identity cards ahead of elections in Afghanistan has stirred heated debate and ethnic animosity, raising political tension just as the country faces a stepped-up campaign of Taliban attacks. The dispute is over how nationality will be designated on the new cards, with leading figures from some ethnic groups rejecting the term "Afghan". The controversy highlights the difficulties of reaching agreement on just about anything in the diverse, faction-ridden country and comes as President Ashraf Ghani, an ethnic Pashtun, is locked in confrontation with the powerful ethnic Tajik governor of a northern province. President Ashraf Ghani, who is Pashtun, has delayed the launch of the cards and called for a solution × Politicians from Afghanistan's main ethnic group, the Pashtuns, say nationalities should be recorded as "Afghan". But that is a term that in the past was used to refer to Pashtuns, and members of other ethnic groups object to its use. "Our ethnicity is our identity and any ID card with the name 'Afghan' on it, will never be acceptable to us. There's no compromise," said Farhad Sediqi, an outspoken Tajik lawmaker. "We'd prefer to have 'Islamic Republic of Afghanistan' on the identity cards and that covers everything." President Ashraf Ghani, who is Pashtun, has delayed the launch of the cards and called for a solution. But tempers are running high and several sessions of parliament called to debate the matter in recent weeks have ended with exchanges of barbs and threats. One Pashtun member of parliament, Saheb Khan, warned the assembly he would fight to the death against anyone who did not accept the word Afghan on the ID cards. "I will defend to the last drop of my blood my identity that is Afghan and it must be included in the document," he later told Reuters. The dispute has sparked some protests in Kabul by Pashtuns calling on the government not to bow to the demands of other groups. No census has been conducted in Afghanistan for decades and estimates of the size of different groups are contentious. Pashtuns and Tajiks are the two main groups with smaller numbers of Hazara, Uzbeks and others. Hazara member of parliament Mohammad Akbari said the use of the word Afghan was an unfair imposition on non-Pashtuns. "This is a country of all of us, not only Pashtuns," Akbari told Reuters. Fragile government Ghani issued a decree last year on amendments to the law to include nationality, ethnicity and religion on the cards but parliament rejected it. Various amendments have been floated since then but the deadlock continues. Afghanistan's former kings were Pashtun, as was Ghani's predecessor, Hamid Karzai. But ethnic Tajiks rose to powerful positions in government, the military and security services after the ouster of the mostly Pashtun Taliban in 2001. The current government emerged from a U.S.-brokered power-sharing deal after a disputed 2014 election when both Ghani and his main rival, Abdullah Abdullah, who draws support from Tajiks, claimed victory amid accusations of fraud on both sides. The deal has been beset by disputes, partly over appointments being carved up along ethnic lines. Ghani's stand-off with Balkh Governor Atta Mohammad Noor, who is Tajik and who is defying efforts to replace him, has threatened to destabilise the administration and raised fears the government could try to use force to break the stalemate. Such fears revive memories of civil war in the 1990s, fought largely along ethnic lines, in which more than 100,000 people were killed. Ghani is also facing pressure to improve security after a Taliban bomb in Kabul killed 103 people, a week after a raid on a hotel killed some 30 people. The ID cards, known as e-Tazkira, are seen as an important step to avoid fraud in delayed parliamentary elections, due this year, and a presidential election next year.

Who is an Afghan? Row over ID cards fuels ethnic tension

China is in talks with Afghan officials <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/cpec-clout-now-yuan-may-replace-us-dollar-in-pakistan-china-trade-27146">for a possible military base along the Wakhan Corridor</a>, a narrow strip of land in northeastern Afghanistan between China and Pakistan, newswire AFP quoted Afghan officials as saying.

The strategically located Wakhan corridor, a historical trade route since time in memorial is being eyed by Chinese authorities to counter militants who might sneak into Chinese territory.

The Wakhan corridor borders China&#39;s restive <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-temporarily-stops-funding-of-some-cpec-projects-pak-authorities-stunned-25922">Xinjiang province which has seen a surge of jehadist-based </a>terrorism in recent years. A Pakistan newspaper reported recently that China&#39;s defence minister Chang Wanquan who recently visited the area wanted to build an &quot;iron wall&quot; in the autonomous region.

China has beefed up border control along Xinjiang to counter jihadists returning from Syria, China&#39;s state-run Global Times reported recently.

China fears militants from Kabul and Pakistan could infiltrate into Xinjiang to carry out attacks.

Afghan and Chinese officials discussed the plan in December in Beijing, but details are still being clarified, Afghan defence ministry deputy spokesman Mohammad Radmanesh said.

&quot;We are going to build it (the base) but the Chinese government has committed to help the division financially, provide equipment and train the Afghan soldiers,&quot; he told AFP recently.

China&#39;s renewed push comes amid President Xi&#39;s ambition to build the One Belt, One Road(OBOR) to further trade with Asia and Europe. China has already poured billions of dollars into the project which seeks to link Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal with Europe - an initiative which is resisted by India as the controversial route travels through several disputed areas in Kashmir.

China is keen to include Afghanistan into the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in an attempt to secure its security and economic interests.

Chinese president Xi hosted British PM Theresa May in Beijing this week with China intent on pushing the OBOR deal however the British PM sought to distance herself from the project which is fraught with economic and security complications.

Members of the Kyrgyz ethnic minority in Wakhan told AFP in October they had been seeing Chinese and Afghan military patrols for months.

&quot;The Chinese army first came here last summer and they were accompanied by the Afghan army,&quot; said Abdul Rashid, a Kyrgyz chief, adding that he had seen vehicles flying Chinese flags.

 
&nbsp;

China fears militants from Kabul and Pakistan could infiltrate into Xinjiang to carry out attacks

China is in talks with Afghan officials for a possible military base along the Wakhan Corridor, a narrow strip of land in northeastern Afghanistan between China and Pakistan, newswire AFP quoted Afghan officials as saying. The strategically located Wakhan corridor, a historical trade route since time in memorial is being eyed by Chinese authorities to counter militants who might sneak into Chinese territory. The Wakhan corridor borders China's restive Xinjiang province which has seen a surge of jehadist-based terrorism in recent years. A Pakistan newspaper reported recently that China's defence minister Chang Wanquan who recently visited the area wanted to build an "iron wall" in the autonomous region. China has beefed up border control along Xinjiang to counter jihadists returning from Syria, China's state-run Global Times reported recently. China fears militants from Kabul and Pakistan could infiltrate into Xinjiang to carry out attacks. Afghan and Chinese officials discussed the plan in December in Beijing, but details are still being clarified, Afghan defence ministry deputy spokesman Mohammad Radmanesh said. "We are going to build it (the base) but the Chinese government has committed to help the division financially, provide equipment and train the Afghan soldiers," he told AFP recently. China's renewed push comes amid President Xi's ambition to build the One Belt, One Road(OBOR) to further trade with Asia and Europe. China has already poured billions of dollars into the project which seeks to link Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal with Europe - an initiative which is resisted by India as the controversial route travels through several disputed areas in Kashmir. China is keen to include Afghanistan into the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in an attempt to secure its security and economic interests. Chinese president Xi hosted British PM Theresa May in Beijing this week with China intent on pushing the OBOR deal however the British PM sought to distance herself from the project which is fraught with economic and security complications. Members of the Kyrgyz ethnic minority in Wakhan told AFP in October they had been seeing Chinese and Afghan military patrols for months. "The Chinese army first came here last summer and they were accompanied by the Afghan army," said Abdul Rashid, a Kyrgyz chief, adding that he had seen vehicles flying Chinese flags.

China eyeing military base in Afghanistan to counter terror threat: Report

Demonstrators protested outside the Pakistani embassy in Kabul on Thursday as senior Afghan officials said they had handed over evidence connecting insurgents based in Pakistan with a<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/campaign-launched-in-kabul-over-recent-attacks-31452" target="_blank"> recent spate of attacks</a> that killed well over 100 people.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-extends-afghan-refugees-repatriation-deadline-31445" target="_blank">Pakistan extends Afghan refugees&#39; repatriation deadline</a>

The protest, in which dozens of people burnt flags and chanted, &quot;Death to Pakistan&quot;, was not large, but it came during a period of heightened tension in the Afghan capital following two major attacks in the past two weeks.

On Thursday, Interior Minister Wais Barmak and Masooom Stanekzai, head of the NDS intelligence service, returned from a visit to Islamabad, where they had pressed Pakistani authorities to move against Taliban leaders based in the country.

&quot;We provided Pakistan with documents about Taliban operating centers inside Pakistan and we expect Pakistan to act against them,&quot; Barmak told a news conference in Kabul.

However, he declined to provide details on the information provided, citing the need to keep operational intelligence secret while investigations continued.

A Pakistani security delegation is due to visit Kabul on Saturday to continue the discussion, which comes as the United States has cut off some aid to Pakistan over what it calls its failure to crack down on militants attacking in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan has long accused Pakistan of providing safe haven to Taliban and other insurgents, a charge Pakistan denies, pointing to the thousands of casualties it has suffered from militant violence over the years.

Last month, the Taliban claimed two major attacks in Kabul, one on the Intercontinental Hotel, which killed more than 30 people and a second that killed more than 100 people when an ambulance packed with explosives blew up on a crowded street.

The attacks in the heavily protected city center fuelled fresh worries about the Western-backed government`s ability to provide security and combat the Taliban insurgency.

On Thursday, the defence ministry issued a statement that dismissed as &quot;exaggerated&quot; a BBC report that the Taliban were operating in 70 percent of Afghanistan and said the army was involved in 14 separate operations.

But despite a sharp rise in US air strikes that commanders say have put heavy pressure on the Taliban and driven them back from major provincial centers, their ability to strike urban targets and undermine confidence in the government appears unaffected.

Demonstrators protested outside the Pakistani embassy in Kabul on Thursday as senior Afghan officials said they had handed over evidence connecting insurgents based in Pakistan with a recent spate of attacks that killed well over 100 people

Demonstrators protested outside the Pakistani embassy in Kabul on Thursday as senior Afghan officials said they had handed over evidence connecting insurgents based in Pakistan with a recent spate of attacks that killed well over 100 people. Also read: Pakistan extends Afghan refugees' repatriation deadline The protest, in which dozens of people burnt flags and chanted, "Death to Pakistan", was not large, but it came during a period of heightened tension in the Afghan capital following two major attacks in the past two weeks. On Thursday, Interior Minister Wais Barmak and Masooom Stanekzai, head of the NDS intelligence service, returned from a visit to Islamabad, where they had pressed Pakistani authorities to move against Taliban leaders based in the country. "We provided Pakistan with documents about Taliban operating centers inside Pakistan and we expect Pakistan to act against them," Barmak told a news conference in Kabul. However, he declined to provide details on the information provided, citing the need to keep operational intelligence secret while investigations continued. A Pakistani security delegation is due to visit Kabul on Saturday to continue the discussion, which comes as the United States has cut off some aid to Pakistan over what it calls its failure to crack down on militants attacking in Afghanistan. Afghanistan has long accused Pakistan of providing safe haven to Taliban and other insurgents, a charge Pakistan denies, pointing to the thousands of casualties it has suffered from militant violence over the years. Last month, the Taliban claimed two major attacks in Kabul, one on the Intercontinental Hotel, which killed more than 30 people and a second that killed more than 100 people when an ambulance packed with explosives blew up on a crowded street. The attacks in the heavily protected city center fuelled fresh worries about the Western-backed government`s ability to provide security and combat the Taliban insurgency. On Thursday, the defence ministry issued a statement that dismissed as "exaggerated" a BBC report that the Taliban were operating in 70 percent of Afghanistan and said the army was involved in 14 separate operations. But despite a sharp rise in US air strikes that commanders say have put heavy pressure on the Taliban and driven them back from major provincial centers, their ability to strike urban targets and undermine confidence in the government appears unaffected.

Afghanistan says it has proof attackers trained in Pakistan

A campaign was launched in Kabul city in the aftermath of the deadly attacks that hit the war-torn nation recently, leaving a plethora of people dead and wounded.

Afghanistan&#39;s ArtLords launched the campaign &quot;I am With You Compatriot&quot; with an aim to pay tribute to the scores of victims of the recent attacks, reported Khaama Press.&quot;

To show sympathy with the victims of terror attacks, ArtLords is distributing armbands with the message &quot;I am with you Compatriot&quot; and we are painting the mural against the warlords and people are driving around Afghanistan with black tinted windows and no number plates,&quot; ArtLords, said in a statement.

The statement added that the campaign also denounces the culture of impunity for the influential figures and powermongers.

Artlords was established in 2015. It is a grassroots movement of artists and volunteers which paves the way for social transformation and behavioural change through employing the soft power of art and culture as a non-intrusive approach.

The campaign participants also painted the posters on the walls in Kabul mainly denouncing the influential figures for hiding in vehicles with black tinted windows.

Afghanistan has been witnessing a string of attacks starting January 20 when the Taliban gunmen raided a luxury hotel in Kabul, killing at least 22 people, mostly foreigners.

&#39;Save The Children&#39; organisation in Afghan`s Jalalabad city, Nangarhar province was also attacked on January 24, leaving six people dead.

However, the deadliest attack was carried out last week near the old compound of the ministry of interior that left more than 100 people dead and more than 200 others wounded.

&nbsp;

Afghanistan's ArtLords launched the campaign to show sympathy with the victims of terror attacks

A campaign was launched in Kabul city in the aftermath of the deadly attacks that hit the war-torn nation recently, leaving a plethora of people dead and wounded. Afghanistan's ArtLords launched the campaign "I am With You Compatriot" with an aim to pay tribute to the scores of victims of the recent attacks, reported Khaama Press." To show sympathy with the victims of terror attacks, ArtLords is distributing armbands with the message "I am with you Compatriot" and we are painting the mural against the warlords and people are driving around Afghanistan with black tinted windows and no number plates," ArtLords, said in a statement. The statement added that the campaign also denounces the culture of impunity for the influential figures and powermongers. Artlords was established in 2015. It is a grassroots movement of artists and volunteers which paves the way for social transformation and behavioural change through employing the soft power of art and culture as a non-intrusive approach. The campaign participants also painted the posters on the walls in Kabul mainly denouncing the influential figures for hiding in vehicles with black tinted windows. Afghanistan has been witnessing a string of attacks starting January 20 when the Taliban gunmen raided a luxury hotel in Kabul, killing at least 22 people, mostly foreigners. 'Save The Children' organisation in Afghan`s Jalalabad city, Nangarhar province was also attacked on January 24, leaving six people dead. However, the deadliest attack was carried out last week near the old compound of the ministry of interior that left more than 100 people dead and more than 200 others wounded.

Campaign launched in Kabul over recent attacks

Since the early eighties, Afghanistan has been witnessing the worst crimes against the humanity. The country had been the battleground of the superpowers of the world and now facing extreme forms of violence and, as a result, the country is at the rock bottom of all the developmental indexes in the world. The human life is subjected to worst tortures, killings are common, and terror activities are a daily news in the mountain country.

&nbsp;

The US-backed and Pakistan-trained Mujahedeen groups fought with the Soviet forces and forced them to retreat. As a result, a large number of Afghan refugees moved into the areas across Durand Line and established themselves. Various Islamic sects of Pakistan, including Jamaat-e-Islami, took this opportunity to establish their madrasas or religious schools in these areas.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

When Afghanistan was going through a process of destabilisation after the withdrawal of Soviet Troops, Pakistan needed to gain its influence over Afghanistan. For this purpose, it needed a force loyal to it and brutal enough to fight the mighty Northern Alliance of Afghanistan. The Madrasas proved to be an ideal recruiting ground for the Pakistan ISI and a new breed of terror was created -the Taliban.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Over next few years, these seminaries were converted into arms and bomb-making factories and terrorist training centres with the help of Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

&nbsp;

The only one responsible for these crimes was the Pakistan government which turned these religious seminaries into terror factories. Later, these madrasas provided numerous cadres of Al-Qaeda and more than 1 lakh fighters to the Afghan Taliban. Not only this, they continued to provide terrorists and suicide bombers for the ongoing terror activities in Afghanistan, India and the Middle East.&nbsp; Many ISIS cadres also came out from some of these madrasas. These madrasas soon became an easy and effective training centre of Pakistan&#39;s ISI.

&nbsp;

The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is extremely porous and facilitates easy movement of even a large force across as there is no surveillance. Hence, this was a major advantage for Pakistan ISI to run madrasas in these areas.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

These terror factories are not run on mere donations of the public but receive massive funds from the Pakistan government as well as the Middle Eastern countries. A Times of India news report said, in 2016, Pakistan&#39;s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government gave Rs 300 million to one of the prominent madrasa, also known as the &#39;University of Jihad&#39;. The madrasa is known to have many Taliban leader among its alumni.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Not only this, it has been alleged that the agents of the Pakistan government often compel and even kidnap Afghan children to study in these madrasas so that they can be taught the most violent form of Islam and turned into a deadly fighter. As per a report published in the Deccan Chronicle (dated 31 Jul 2017), Afghan police caught an organised syndicate which used to traffic young boys to the madrasas across the border in Pakistan from interiors of Afghanistan. They recovered a large number of Afghan boys who were being taken to Pakistan to study in these madrasas against their own will. This proves that Pak support to these madrasas is not only limited to indoctrination but also providing them with manpower, military training, funds and other forms of logistical support.

&nbsp;

Today, there are over 15000 madrasas being run on Pak- Afghan border out of which more than 60% are in Baluchistan alone. The reason is obvious, the most important aspect of Taliban or their ideological hub which is called as Quetta Shura is located in the Baluchistan province itself. This is the group which is managing a large number of madrasas in the area. Surprisingly, nearly all of them are teaching either the Deobandi Philosophy of Islam or Salafi ideology, both are extremely violent and most radical forms of Islam.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

As of now, nearly all attacks or violence in Afghanistan is traced back to one or the other madrasas in Pakistan. As per the statement made by the Afghan Ambassador in the US, Mr Majeed Qarar, the attack on Kabul&rsquo;s Intercontinental Hotel was also planned in one such madrasa in Pakistan. He quoted the video of the father of one of the suicide attackers who visited the madrasa many times to bring their son back but he was so badly brain-washed that he refused to come back with them.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

There have been allegations substantiated by evidences that Pakistan had been providing equipment and weapons to terrorists in Afghanistan. During the recent attack on Maiwand Army Base of Afghanistan, the night vision goggles recovered from terrorists reveal the entire story. They were made by a company in Britain and procured by Pak Army for their military operations. Now, how they reached these terrorists, the question reveals the answer itself.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;In March 2016, Pak PM&rsquo;s advisor Mr Sartaz Ajeez himself accepted that &ldquo;These madrasas had well-oiled terror infrastructure, beyond imagination, running bomb-making factories, terrorists training centres and those to train suicide bombers - all under multi-storeyed basement under the mosque&rdquo; which proves the fact that these madrasas are really operating as terror factories.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

He further mentioned that &quot;In one mosque that I visited, I remember, in Miranshah, from outside we did not see anything. But under the mosque, there were a 70-room basement, three stories, in which there were four-five IED factories, four-five suicide training centres, communication network, VIP room, conference rooms, amazing infrastructure,&quot;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

This is very horrifying, to say the least. The world is surprised to know how these terror factories are still able to run on Pakistani soil smoothly. Pakistan government may deny their association with them but, at last, they are openly operating on their land and making a mockery of their law. Moreover, the victims of these terror factories are only the poor and innocent Afghan population and not Pakistan.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It is the responsibility of the global leaders now to make an all-out effort&nbsp;and ensure that these terror factories are not only closed but their leaders and perpetrators of terror should be brought to justice.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

Today, there are over 15000 madrasas on Pak- Afghan border out of which more than 60% are in Baluchistan as the ideological hub of Taliban is in the province.

Since the early eighties, Afghanistan has been witnessing the worst crimes against the humanity. The country had been the battleground of the superpowers of the world and now facing extreme forms of violence and, as a result, the country is at the rock bottom of all the developmental indexes in the world. The human life is subjected to worst tortures, killings are common, and terror activities are a daily news in the mountain country. The US-backed and Pakistan-trained Mujahedeen groups fought with the Soviet forces and forced them to retreat. As a result, a large number of Afghan refugees moved into the areas across Durand Line and established themselves. Various Islamic sects of Pakistan, including Jamaat-e-Islami, took this opportunity to establish their madrasas or religious schools in these areas. When Afghanistan was going through a process of destabilisation after the withdrawal of Soviet Troops, Pakistan needed to gain its influence over Afghanistan. For this purpose, it needed a force loyal to it and brutal enough to fight the mighty Northern Alliance of Afghanistan. The Madrasas proved to be an ideal recruiting ground for the Pakistan ISI and a new breed of terror was created -the Taliban. Over next few years, these seminaries were converted into arms and bomb-making factories and terrorist training centres with the help of Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The only one responsible for these crimes was the Pakistan government which turned these religious seminaries into terror factories. Later, these madrasas provided numerous cadres of Al-Qaeda and more than 1 lakh fighters to the Afghan Taliban. Not only this, they continued to provide terrorists and suicide bombers for the ongoing terror activities in Afghanistan, India and the Middle East. Many ISIS cadres also came out from some of these madrasas. These madrasas soon became an easy and effective training centre of Pakistan's ISI. The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is extremely porous and facilitates easy movement of even a large force across as there is no surveillance. Hence, this was a major advantage for Pakistan ISI to run madrasas in these areas. These terror factories are not run on mere donations of the public but receive massive funds from the Pakistan government as well as the Middle Eastern countries. A Times of India news report said, in 2016, Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government gave Rs 300 million to one of the prominent madrasa, also known as the 'University of Jihad'. The madrasa is known to have many Taliban leader among its alumni. Not only this, it has been alleged that the agents of the Pakistan government often compel and even kidnap Afghan children to study in these madrasas so that they can be taught the most violent form of Islam and turned into a deadly fighter. As per a report published in the Deccan Chronicle (dated 31 Jul 2017), Afghan police caught an organised syndicate which used to traffic young boys to the madrasas across the border in Pakistan from interiors of Afghanistan. They recovered a large number of Afghan boys who were being taken to Pakistan to study in these madrasas against their own will. This proves that Pak support to these madrasas is not only limited to indoctrination but also providing them with manpower, military training, funds and other forms of logistical support. Today, there are over 15000 madrasas being run on Pak- Afghan border out of which more than 60% are in Baluchistan alone. The reason is obvious, the most important aspect of Taliban or their ideological hub which is called as Quetta Shura is located in the Baluchistan province itself. This is the group which is managing a large number of madrasas in the area. Surprisingly, nearly all of them are teaching either the Deobandi Philosophy of Islam or Salafi ideology, both are extremely violent and most radical forms of Islam. As of now, nearly all attacks or violence in Afghanistan is traced back to one or the other madrasas in Pakistan. As per the statement made by the Afghan Ambassador in the US, Mr Majeed Qarar, the attack on Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel was also planned in one such madrasa in Pakistan. He quoted the video of the father of one of the suicide attackers who visited the madrasa many times to bring their son back but he was so badly brain-washed that he refused to come back with them. There have been allegations substantiated by evidences that Pakistan had been providing equipment and weapons to terrorists in Afghanistan. During the recent attack on Maiwand Army Base of Afghanistan, the night vision goggles recovered from terrorists reveal the entire story. They were made by a company in Britain and procured by Pak Army for their military operations. Now, how they reached these terrorists, the question reveals the answer itself. In March 2016, Pak PM’s advisor Mr Sartaz Ajeez himself accepted that “These madrasas had well-oiled terror infrastructure, beyond imagination, running bomb-making factories, terrorists training centres and those to train suicide bombers - all under multi-storeyed basement under the mosque” which proves the fact that these madrasas are really operating as terror factories. He further mentioned that "In one mosque that I visited, I remember, in Miranshah, from outside we did not see anything. But under the mosque, there were a 70-room basement, three stories, in which there were four-five IED factories, four-five suicide training centres, communication network, VIP room, conference rooms, amazing infrastructure," This is very horrifying, to say the least. The world is surprised to know how these terror factories are still able to run on Pakistani soil smoothly. Pakistan government may deny their association with them but, at last, they are openly operating on their land and making a mockery of their law. Moreover, the victims of these terror factories are only the poor and innocent Afghan population and not Pakistan. It is the responsibility of the global leaders now to make an all-out effort and ensure that these terror factories are not only closed but their leaders and perpetrators of terror should be brought to justice. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Madrasas in Pakistan are serving as terror factories of Afghanistan

Majeed Qarar, the Afghan Diplomat to the US, alleges that&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/five-arrested-over-kabul-intercontinental-hotel-shooting-30990">Kabul&#39;s Intercontinental hotel attack</a> was planned in a Madarasa in Pakistan.

Qarar released a video on his social handles which shows Abdul Qahar -- father of one of the suicide attackers.

In the video, Qahar -- an eyewitness of the incident -- shares details about his son&#39;s enrollment in a Pakistan-based Madrasa.&nbsp;

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A clear proof that the attack on Kabul&#39;s Inter (Con) Hotel was planned in a madrasa, on Pakistan&#39;s soil. Abdul Qahar, the father of one of the suicide attackers is an eyewitness of the story. Please watch the video: <a href="https://t.co/uGFdT4nZ7a">https://t.co/uGFdT4nZ7a</a>
&mdash; Majeed Qarar (@MajeedQarar) <a href="https://twitter.com/MajeedQarar/status/958022789138649088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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He noted that he &amp; his wife visited the son twice to bring him back, but he was not ready to go&nbsp;with them. Qahar also mentioned the militancy in Madrasa.&nbsp;

He admitted that he was informed about his son&#39;s death when he was called to Pakistan.&nbsp;

Majeed&nbsp;Qarar previously took to Twitter revealing that Pakistan army supplied equipment to attackers of the Afghan Military Academy.&nbsp;

&quot;The night vision goggles found with Taliban attackers in Maiwand&nbsp;ANA base were military grade goggles (Not sold to the public) procured by Pak army from a British company &amp; supplied 2 Lashkar-e-Taiba in Kashmir &amp; Taliban in Afghanistan. Lashkar-e-Taiba is an international terrorist org&quot;, Qarar tweeted yesterday.&nbsp;

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The night vision goggles found with Taliban attackers in maiwand&#39;s ANA base were military grade goggles (Not sold to public) procured by Pak army from a British company &amp; supplied 2 Lashkar-e-Tayyeba in Kashmir &amp; Taliban in Afghanistn. Lashkar-e-Tayyeba is an int&#39;l terrorist org.
&mdash; Majeed Qarar (@MajeedQarar) <a href="https://twitter.com/MajeedQarar/status/957805793541345283?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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At least four Taliban gunmen attacked Kabul&#39;s landmark Intercontinental Hotel on January 27 and started shooting at guests. The shooting went on for at least 12 hours.

The overnight attack killed at least 22 people, the majority of them were foreigners including citizens from Venezuela, the Ukraine, Germany and Kazakhstan and America.

About 100 people were kept hostage who were released after the attack.

The video shows Abdul Qahar, father of one of the suicide attackers

Majeed Qarar, the Afghan Diplomat to the US, alleges that Kabul's Intercontinental hotel attack was planned in a Madarasa in Pakistan. Qarar released a video on his social handles which shows Abdul Qahar -- father of one of the suicide attackers. In the video, Qahar -- an eyewitness of the incident -- shares details about his son's enrollment in a Pakistan-based Madrasa. A clear proof that the attack on Kabul's Inter (Con) Hotel was planned in a madrasa, on Pakistan's soil. Abdul Qahar, the father of one of the suicide attackers is an eyewitness of the story. Please watch the video: https://t.co/uGFdT4nZ7a — Majeed Qarar (@MajeedQarar) January 29, 2018 × He noted that he & his wife visited the son twice to bring him back, but he was not ready to go with them. Qahar also mentioned the militancy in Madrasa. He admitted that he was informed about his son's death when he was called to Pakistan. Majeed Qarar previously took to Twitter revealing that Pakistan army supplied equipment to attackers of the Afghan Military Academy. "The night vision goggles found with Taliban attackers in Maiwand ANA base were military grade goggles (Not sold to the public) procured by Pak army from a British company & supplied 2 Lashkar-e-Taiba in Kashmir & Taliban in Afghanistan. Lashkar-e-Taiba is an international terrorist org", Qarar tweeted yesterday. The night vision goggles found with Taliban attackers in maiwand's ANA base were military grade goggles (Not sold to public) procured by Pak army from a British company & supplied 2 Lashkar-e-Tayyeba in Kashmir & Taliban in Afghanistn. Lashkar-e-Tayyeba is an int'l terrorist org. — Majeed Qarar (@MajeedQarar) January 29, 2018 × At least four Taliban gunmen attacked Kabul's landmark Intercontinental Hotel on January 27 and started shooting at guests. The shooting went on for at least 12 hours. The overnight attack killed at least 22 people, the majority of them were foreigners including citizens from Venezuela, the Ukraine, Germany and Kazakhstan and America. About 100 people were kept hostage who were released after the attack.

Attack on Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel was planned in Pakistan: Afghan envoy to US

The United States is confident that the Haqqani network was behind the Taliban&#39;s Saturday ambulance bomb in Kabul that killed more than 100 people, officials say, a conclusion that could add friction to ties between Washington and Islamabad.

The United States has long blamed militant safe havens in Pakistan for prolonging the war in Afghanistan, giving insurgents from the Haqqani network a place to plot attacks and rebuild their forces.

&quot;We are very confident the Taliban Haqqani network was behind the killing of more than 103 people this past Saturday,&quot; said Captain Tom Gresback, a US military spokesman for the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan, without elaborating further on US intelligence or offering any link to Pakistan.

Another US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, also said the United States believed the attack was the work of the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network, which Washington and Kabul have long accused of being behind some of the Afghanistan&#39;s most deadly attacks.

Afghanistan&#39;s envoy to the United Nations, Mahmoud Saikal, on Monday suggested the plot was too complex for the Taliban to have developed on their own.

&quot;Given the degree of sophistication ... can you expect an illiterate Taliban to come up with this kind of genius plot, using ambulances?&quot; Saikal said in an interview, adding Kabul was still gathering information.

&quot;It&#39;s not a simple thing to do.&quot;

Saturday&#39;s blast, claimed by the Taliban, was the deadliest since 150 people were killed in a huge truck bomb explosion last May near the German embassy, which US officials also blamed on the Haqqani network.

It followed another Taliban-claimed attack a week earlier that killed more than 20 people in a siege of the city&#39;s Intercontinental Hotel.

On Monday, militants raided a military academy in Kabul, the Afghan capital, killing 11 soldiers. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack near the Marshal Fahim military academy on the city&#39;s western outskirts.

The attacks have put pressure on President Ashraf Ghani and his US allies, who have expressed growing confidence that a new, more aggressive military strategy has succeeded in driving Taliban insurgents back from major provincial centres.

Pakistan role

Ties between the United States and Pakistan are already brittle after Washington announced plans earlier in January to suspend up to roughly $2 billion in US security assistance. US President Donald Trump tweeted that Pakistan had rewarded past US aid with &quot;nothing but lies &amp; deceit.&quot;

Pakistan, which denies the accusations it allows safe havens for militants, condemned Saturday&#39;s attack and accused Washington of betrayal.

As tensions rise, the United States has been quietly examining ways to mitigate any retaliation by Pakistan, a crucial gateway for US military supplies destined for troops fighting the 16-year-old war in landlocked Afghanistan.

It also has not ruled out additional steps, including unilateral strikes in Pakistan against Haqqani targets.

Saikal renewed the longstanding Afghan concern that the plots for these attacks were coming from Pakistan and cheered Trump&#39;s rejection on Monday of the possibility of peace talks with the Taliban.

&quot;We hope the fight also includes focus on where the terrorist attacks are plotted and organised,&quot; he said in an interview.

'Given the degree of sophistication ... can you expect an illiterate Taliban to come up with this kind of genius plot, using ambulances' said

The United States is confident that the Haqqani network was behind the Taliban's Saturday ambulance bomb in Kabul that killed more than 100 people, officials say, a conclusion that could add friction to ties between Washington and Islamabad. The United States has long blamed militant safe havens in Pakistan for prolonging the war in Afghanistan, giving insurgents from the Haqqani network a place to plot attacks and rebuild their forces. "We are very confident the Taliban Haqqani network was behind the killing of more than 103 people this past Saturday," said Captain Tom Gresback, a US military spokesman for the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan, without elaborating further on US intelligence or offering any link to Pakistan. Another US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, also said the United States believed the attack was the work of the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network, which Washington and Kabul have long accused of being behind some of the Afghanistan's most deadly attacks. Afghanistan's envoy to the United Nations, Mahmoud Saikal, on Monday suggested the plot was too complex for the Taliban to have developed on their own. "Given the degree of sophistication ... can you expect an illiterate Taliban to come up with this kind of genius plot, using ambulances?" Saikal said in an interview, adding Kabul was still gathering information. "It's not a simple thing to do." Saturday's blast, claimed by the Taliban, was the deadliest since 150 people were killed in a huge truck bomb explosion last May near the German embassy, which US officials also blamed on the Haqqani network. It followed another Taliban-claimed attack a week earlier that killed more than 20 people in a siege of the city's Intercontinental Hotel. On Monday, militants raided a military academy in Kabul, the Afghan capital, killing 11 soldiers. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack near the Marshal Fahim military academy on the city's western outskirts. The attacks have put pressure on President Ashraf Ghani and his US allies, who have expressed growing confidence that a new, more aggressive military strategy has succeeded in driving Taliban insurgents back from major provincial centres. Pakistan role Ties between the United States and Pakistan are already brittle after Washington announced plans earlier in January to suspend up to roughly $2 billion in US security assistance. US President Donald Trump tweeted that Pakistan had rewarded past US aid with "nothing but lies & deceit." Pakistan, which denies the accusations it allows safe havens for militants, condemned Saturday's attack and accused Washington of betrayal. As tensions rise, the United States has been quietly examining ways to mitigate any retaliation by Pakistan, a crucial gateway for US military supplies destined for troops fighting the 16-year-old war in landlocked Afghanistan. It also has not ruled out additional steps, including unilateral strikes in Pakistan against Haqqani targets. Saikal renewed the longstanding Afghan concern that the plots for these attacks were coming from Pakistan and cheered Trump's rejection on Monday of the possibility of peace talks with the Taliban. "We hope the fight also includes focus on where the terrorist attacks are plotted and organised," he said in an interview.

US sees Haqqani network behind ambulance bombing in Kabul

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/gunfire-and-explosions-at-marshal-fahim-military-university-in-kabul-31031" target="_blank">Military university in Kabul rocked by explosions and heavy gunfire: Reports</a>

The Marshal Fahim Military University in the Afghan capital of Kabul has come under attack on Monday morning with a series of explosions and heavy gunfire heard at the compound, according to local media.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/grammys-2018-live-ed-sheeran-wins-best-solo-performance-for-shape-of-you-31014" target="_blank">Grammys 2018, Live: Bruno Mars wins Song of The Year for &#39;That&#39;s What I Like&#39;</a>

Bruno Mars receives the Grammy for the Best Song of the year during the 60th Annual Grammy Awards show on January 28, 2018, in New York.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/budget-2018-with-assembly-elections-lined-up-government-to-woo-rural-voters-in-budget-31027" target="_blank">Budget 2018: With assembly elections lined up, government to woo rural voters in budget</a>

The Modi government will be trying to woo back rural voters and small businesses when it announces the 2018/19 budget on Thursday and pick up economic momentum as it heads into a season of elections, officials said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/aap-leaders-to-march-to-parliament-today-urging-government-to-end-sealing-drive-in-delhi-31032" target="_blank">AAP leaders to march to Parliament today urging government to end sealing drive in Delhi&nbsp;</a>

AAP leaders will march to the Parliament today urging the Modi government to end sealing of markets in the national capital.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-blasts-eu-trade-policy-with-us-as-very-unfair-31020" target="_blank">Trump blasts EU trade policy with </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-blasts-eu-trade-policy-with-us-as-very-unfair-31020" target="_blank">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-blasts-eu-trade-policy-with-us-as-very-unfair-31020" target="_blank"> as &#39;very unfair&#39;</a>

The European Union`s trade policy with America is &quot;very unfair&quot;, President Donald Trump said in an interview to be aired Sunday, warning that his many problems with Brussels &quot;may morph into something very big&quot;.

Military university in Kabul rocked by explosions and heavy gunfire: Reports The Marshal Fahim Military University in the Afghan capital of Kabul has come under attack on Monday morning with a series of explosions and heavy gunfire heard at the compound, according to local media. Grammys 2018, Live: Bruno Mars wins Song of The Year for 'That's What I Like' Bruno Mars receives the Grammy for the Best Song of the year during the 60th Annual Grammy Awards show on January 28, 2018, in New York. Budget 2018: With assembly elections lined up, government to woo rural voters in budget The Modi government will be trying to woo back rural voters and small businesses when it announces the 2018/19 budget on Thursday and pick up economic momentum as it heads into a season of elections, officials said. AAP leaders to march to Parliament today urging government to end sealing drive in Delhi AAP leaders will march to the Parliament today urging the Modi government to end sealing of markets in the national capital. Trump blasts EU trade policy with US as 'very unfair' The European Union`s trade policy with America is "very unfair", President Donald Trump said in an interview to be aired Sunday, warning that his many problems with Brussels "may morph into something very big".

WION Morning News Brief, January 29, 2018

Panicked gripped the Indian embassy in Kabul as a rocket landed on its premises Monday night causing minor damage to a structure at the rear of the embassy compound.&nbsp;

According to Raveesh Kumar, official spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, the incident caused no fire or casualties.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&#39;&#39;Our Charge d&#39; Affairs informs that all Embassy employees are safe,&#39;&#39; he added.

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A rocket landed in the premises of our Embassy in Kabul a while ago causing minor damage to a structure at rear side of the Embassy compound. No fire or casualties. Our Charge d&#39; Affaires informs that all Embassy employees are safe.
&mdash; Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/952939973451268097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Till now, no outfit has claimed the attack, even though the Taliban and Haqqani Network have carried out similar strikes in the past.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also tweeted about the incident.&nbsp;

She said the rocket clipped the top of the three-storied ITBP barracks. But that there were no casualties and that all Indians and staff were safe.&nbsp;

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Kabul - A rocket has landed in our Chancery compound in Kabul. The rocket has clipped the top of the three storied ITBP barracks. There are no casualties. All Indians and staff are safe.
&mdash; Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/952947647706316801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Raveesh Kumar, official spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, said there were no casulties

Panicked gripped the Indian embassy in Kabul as a rocket landed on its premises Monday night causing minor damage to a structure at the rear of the embassy compound. According to Raveesh Kumar, official spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, the incident caused no fire or casualties. ''Our Charge d' Affairs informs that all Embassy employees are safe,'' he added. A rocket landed in the premises of our Embassy in Kabul a while ago causing minor damage to a structure at rear side of the Embassy compound. No fire or casualties. Our Charge d' Affaires informs that all Embassy employees are safe. — Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) January 15, 2018 × Till now, no outfit has claimed the attack, even though the Taliban and Haqqani Network have carried out similar strikes in the past. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also tweeted about the incident. She said the rocket clipped the top of the three-storied ITBP barracks. But that there were no casualties and that all Indians and staff were safe. Kabul - A rocket has landed in our Chancery compound in Kabul. The rocket has clipped the top of the three storied ITBP barracks. There are no casualties. All Indians and staff are safe. — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) January 15, 2018 ×

Rocket lands on Indian embassy premises in Kabul, no casualties reported

The Afghanistan government, on Thursday, released 75 Hizb-e-Islami party members who had been imprisoned in Pul-e-Charkhi prison in the east of Kabul city.&nbsp;

The release was made following the peace agreement between Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar last year.

The prisoners had been held for a long time as their release had been delayed since organisations criticized the government for agreeing to the move saying that the prisoners had been involved in insurgency incidents that killed civilians. 
&nbsp; 
Hizb-e-Islami claims that there are 3,000 of its members being held in Afghan prisons.

According to Article 11 of the peace agreement, it stated: &quot;After assessment of their documents, all prisoners of Hizb-e-Islami who are accused of political and security crimes and are exempted from &#39;the right of people&#39;&quot; (a legal term which is used for those who don&#39;t carry any complaint from members of the public in a court).

As per media reports, a total of 145 HI men had been released so far.&nbsp;

The released prisoners had been accused of political and security crimes. This was the third batch of HI prisoners released on Thursday.

The first batch of prisoners was released last year in May, which included 55 people. Around 13 more were released later in the same year.&nbsp;

The release was made following the peace agreement between Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar last year

The Afghanistan government, on Thursday, released 75 Hizb-e-Islami party members who had been imprisoned in Pul-e-Charkhi prison in the east of Kabul city. The release was made following the peace agreement between Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar last year. The prisoners had been held for a long time as their release had been delayed since organisations criticized the government for agreeing to the move saying that the prisoners had been involved in insurgency incidents that killed civilians. Hizb-e-Islami claims that there are 3,000 of its members being held in Afghan prisons. According to Article 11 of the peace agreement, it stated: "After assessment of their documents, all prisoners of Hizb-e-Islami who are accused of political and security crimes and are exempted from 'the right of people'" (a legal term which is used for those who don't carry any complaint from members of the public in a court). As per media reports, a total of 145 HI men had been released so far. The released prisoners had been accused of political and security crimes. This was the third batch of HI prisoners released on Thursday. The first batch of prisoners was released last year in May, which included 55 people. Around 13 more were released later in the same year.

Afghanistan releases 75 Hizb-e-Islami prisoners from Kabul

A suicide bomber struck Kabul Monday morning close to the country&#39;s national intelligence agency -- the National Directorate for Security.&nbsp;

Officials said six people were dead and three wounded.&nbsp;

&quot;Six people were martyred and three others were wounded,&quot; AFP reported interior ministry spokesperson Najib Danish as saying.&nbsp;

The attacker struck as&nbsp;NDS employees were arriving at work.&nbsp;

AFP quoted Danish as saying the six people who died had been in a car when the attacker struck.&nbsp;

&quot;They were hit when they were passing the area in their Toyota sedan vehicle,&quot; Danish said.&nbsp;

He added that the attack had taken place on the main road, not inside the NDS compound, and that authorities were still not certain what the attacker&#39;s intended target had been.&nbsp;

There has as yet been no claim of responsibility for the attack.&nbsp;

Islamic State had however&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/militants-storm-kabul-spy-training-centre-27065" target="_blank">claimed</a> the attack a week ago on an NDS&nbsp;training facility in Kabul. &nbsp;

(This is a developing story)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Officials added that three people had been wounded

A suicide bomber struck Kabul Monday morning close to the country's national intelligence agency -- the National Directorate for Security. Officials said six people were dead and three wounded. "Six people were martyred and three others were wounded," AFP reported interior ministry spokesperson Najib Danish as saying. The attacker struck as NDS employees were arriving at work. AFP quoted Danish as saying the six people who died had been in a car when the attacker struck. "They were hit when they were passing the area in their Toyota sedan vehicle," Danish said. He added that the attack had taken place on the main road, not inside the NDS compound, and that authorities were still not certain what the attacker's intended target had been. There has as yet been no claim of responsibility for the attack. Islamic State had however claimed the attack a week ago on an NDS training facility in Kabul. (This is a developing story)

6 dead after suicide bombing in Kabul near country's national intelligence agency

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