Suicide bomber, gunmen attack top Kabul hotel

KABUL — One of Kabul's leading hotels popular with foreigners and Afghan government officials is under attack by at least one suicide bomber and up to six gunmen, police said Tuesday.Witnesses reported hearing three explosions and said several gunmen had got into the high-security Intercontinental Hotel in the Afghan capital late in the evening. The brazen strike was claimed by the Taliban."It's an attack on the Intercontinental Hotel," said Kabul criminal investigations chief Mohammad Zahir. "Five to six gunmen have taken shelter inside the building of the hotel."Zahir said that one suicide attacker had blown himself up so far and "a number" of police had been injured in the ongoing fighting, including he himself who had been shot in the leg.There was no immediate detail on other casualties or if there were guests still inside the hotel.But one government source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the mayor of Kabul was among those staying at the hotel, while another indicated that a wedding party was under way when the attack started.Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed the militant Islamist group was behind the attack which he said was targeting foreign guests in the hotel.AFP reporters close to the scene reported hearing at least three explosions within the space of about an hour and heavy machine gun fire.Witness Sayed Hussain said he was inside the hotel compound when the attack started."I saw five to six men in civilian clothing armed with rifles who started shooting when they entered," he said, speaking close to the scene. "I lay down on the ground and soon after the police arrived."He added that police and the attackers then traded fire for about 10 to 15 minutes before he heard a loud explosion.AFP reporters said that the hotel was in darkness after power in the area had apparently been cut. Traffic had also been diverted from the area and police were out in force with more arriving, he added.The Intercontinental is one of Kabul's best-known high-end hotels, boasting luxuries such

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