Roundup: Two foreigners among 12 killed in Taliban attack in Afghanistan

At least 12 people were killed in a 11-hour-siege by Afghan Taliban against a foreign guesthouse near Spanish Embassy in central Kabul, which ended early Saturday morning, sources said.

The killed included two Spanish citizens, one Afghan civilian, five Afghan police and four attackers.

"At around 06:00 p.m. Friday, one terrorist detonated a car bomb at the entrance of a guesthouse in Shairpoor locality, enabling three other attackers to enter the building. Units of Police Special Operation Force arrived at the site shortly after the attack and launched a counter-offensive against the terrorists," the Afghan Interior Ministry said in a statement Saturday.

A total of 12 guests trapped in the targeted building were rescued by the police, the statement added.

"The clash ended at around 5:30 a.m. Saturday. As a result of the terrorist attack, four police were martyred and seven civilians sustained injuries while four attackers were killed," according to the statement.

Unofficial sources said that two Spanish nationals and one Afghan civilian were among the killed, adding that five police lost their lives and Afghan Special Forces have rescued 50 foreigners and Afghans from the targeted building and surrounding compounds.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Friday confirmed that one Spanish policeman lost his live in the attack but denied media reports that the target of the attack was Spanish Embassy in Kabul.

Minister of Interior Affairs Noor-ul-haq Ulomi has strongly condemned the attack and expressed his deepest condolences to the families and relatives who lost their lives in this incident, the statement noted.

The attackers seemed to have followed old tactics which depend on creating an initial blast and seizing a building to engage with security forces and fire on nearby targets.

The guesthouse was severely damaged by the blast and ensuing gunfire. The explosion also damaged nearby buildings and shattered the windowpane of surrounding buildings.

"At first, I thought earthquake was happening. Then everywhere become dark by a smoke. After the smoke was cleared I found all the windows of my house were shattered by the blast. My children were shocked and they began to cry," resident Mohammad Murtaza told Xinhua.

"We stayed all night at our basement and failed to sleep all the night. Thanks God, none of my family member were hurt by the clashes and flying bullets," he said.

Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant since April when the militant group launched its annual rebel offensive in different places of the militancy-plagued country which had claimed hundreds of lives including militants, security personnel and civilians.

Taliban has urged civilians to stay away from official gatherings, military convoys and centers regarded as the legitimate targets by militants besides warning people not to support government.

Zabiullah Mujahid, a purported Taliban spokesman, told local media that the attack was part of the Taliban's offensive called Azam.

Some 38 civilians, 12 security forces and 11 Taliban fighters were killed during a 24-hour-seige, which ended on Wednesday night, against a residential area near an airport in southern Kandahar province.

Afghan security forces has beefed up security operations against militants as the Taliban militant group has been attempting to take territory and consolidate its position ahead of winter in the country. Enditem