2014 Kabul Serena Hotel shooting explained

2014 Kabul Serena Hotel attack
Partof:the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
Location:Kabul, Afghanistan
Coordinates:34.5206°N 69.1781°W
Target:Foreign election observers and journalists
Time-Begin:20:30
Time-End:23:30
Timezone:UTC+4:30
Type:Suicide attack
Fatalities:9 [1]
Injuries:2

On 20 March 2014, Taliban militants carried out a mass shooting in the restaurant of the Kabul Serena Hotel, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The shooting, which took place in a hotel popular with foreigners and wealthy Afghans, killed nine civilians, including five foreigners. The attack was a shock to many as it took place in a heavily fortified area of Kabul.[2]

Attack

Four teenage Taliban militants smuggled weapons in their shoes and socks and then hid in the hotel for several hours before commencing the attack. Armed with small handguns, the gunmen stormed the hotel's restaurant at around 8:30pm – 9:00pm, firing on guests as they dined and celebrated Nowruz, the Persian new year. Guests in the hotel barricaded themselves in their rooms and others fled. Nine people were killed, including Ahmad Sardar (a prominent Afghan journalist), Sardar's wife and two of their children, a Canadian, a New Zealander, two Bangladeshis, and a Paraguayan diplomat.[3] [4] Afghan security forces responded to the attack, sealing off the hotel and launching a hunt for the gunmen. One of the militants was killed by armed hotel staff while the other three hid in the hotel. The search for the gunmen lasted several hours and ended when Afghan commandos killed them.[5] [6]

Victims

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Notable victims:

Perpetrators

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.[8] The Afghan National Directorate of Security blamed Pakistani intelligence agencies for carrying out the attack, further adding that it was "unusual" that Pakistani nationals were not present in the hotel at the time of the attack.[9] However, it was reported that one Pakistani national was killed during the shooting[10] [11] although the Pakistani foreign office issued a statement saying the national was alive but in a coma as well as condemning the attack.[12]

Aftermath

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe withdrew their election observers in response to the attack; one victim was an observer working for the NDI.[13]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Afghan Official says 9 People, including 4 Foreigners, Killed in Attack on Kabul hotel (Reuters) . Bigstory.ap.org . 22 March 2014 . 22 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140322001751/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/afghan-official-says-9-people-including-4-foreigners-killed-attack-kabul-hotel . live .
  2. Web site: Nine killed in Kabul hotel attack . BBC News . 21 March 2014 . 4 February 2018 . 24 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180324020537/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26675253 . live .
  3. Web site: AFP reporter, family among nine killed in Kabul hotel attack . 2022-03-20 . NDTV.com . 20 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220320111420/https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/afp-reporter-family-among-nine-killed-in-kabul-hotel-attack-554733 . live .
  4. News: 20 March 2014 . Diplomático paraguayo fallece en un ataque de talibanes en hotel de Kabul . es . Paraguayan diplomat dies in Taliban attack on Kabul hotel . . live . 21 March 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210321002959/https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/politica/diplomatico-paraguayo-fallece-en-un-ataque-de-talibanes-en-hotel-de-kabul-1226940.html . 21 March 2021.
  5. Web site: Rosenberg . Matthew . Ahmed . Azam . Illusion of Safety at Afghan Haven Is Shattered . The New York Times . 11 March 2014 . 4 February 2018 . 5 February 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180205001144/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/22/world/asia/gunmen-open-fire-at-a-luxury-hotel-in-afghanistan.html . live .
  6. Web site: Nine dead in Kabul hotel attack . Al Jazeera America . 25 August 2015 . 4 February 2018 . 23 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180623004709/http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/3/21/kabul-hotel-attackvictims.html . live .
  7. Web site: AFP reporter, family among nine killed in Kabul hotel attack . IANS . news.biharprabha.com . 21 March 2014 . 22 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140322030739/http://news.yahoo.com/least-eight-civilians-killed-kabul-hotel-attack-035801809.html . live .
  8. Mahr . Krista . Nine Dead in a Hotel Bloodbath: Welcome to Campaign Season in Kabul . Time . 21 March 2014 . 4 February 2018 . 21 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140321104826/http://time.com/32976/kabul-serena-hotel-nine-killed-taliban/ . live .
  9. News: Pakistan's ISI plotted attack on Serena hotel in Kabul: NDS . 25 March 2014 . The Khaama Press News Agency . en-US . 25 February 2019 . Ghanizada . Ahmad Shah . 24 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190224062545/https://www.khaama.com/pakistans-isi-plotted-attack-on-serena-hotel-in-kabul-nds-2915/ . live .
  10. News: Taliban gunmen kill nine civilians in attack at Kabul's Serena hotel . Graham-Harrison . Emma . 21 March 2014 . The Guardian . 13 April 2024 . en-GB . 0261-3077 . 5 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190605000155/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/21/taliban-gunmen-kill-nine-kabul-serena-hotel . live .
  11. News: Nine killed in Kabul hotel attack . 21 March 2014 . 25 February 2019 . en-GB . 22 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190622094905/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26675253 . live .
  12. Web site: Serena Hotel: Pakistani injured, not killed, in Kabul attack . 22 March 2014 . The Express Tribune . en-US . 25 February 2019 . 26 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190226112620/https://tribune.com.pk/story/685883/serena-hotel-pakistani-injured-not-killed-in-kabul-attack/ . live .
  13. News: Donati . Jessica . 2014-03-23 . Election observers pull foreign staff out of Afghanistan after hotel attack . en . Reuters . 2021-03-22 . 11 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211111140936/https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-afghanistan-election-idUKBREA2M0GJ20140323 . live .

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