2014 Kabul Serena Hotel attack
2014 Kabul Serena Hotel attack | |
---|---|
Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) | |
Location | Kabul, Afghanistan |
Date | March 20, 2014 20:30 – 23:30 (UTC+4:30) |
Target | Foreign election observers and journalists |
Attack type | Suicide attack |
Deaths | 9 (+4 attackers)[1] |
Non-fatal injuries | 2 |
Perpetrators | Taliban |
The 2014 Kabul Serena Hotel attack was a mass shooting that took place in the restaurant of the Kabul Serena Hotel, in Kabul, Afghanistan on March 20, 2014 carried out by Taliban militants. The shooting, which took place in a hotel that is popular with foreigners and wealthy Afghans, killed nine civilians, including four foreigners. The attack was a shock to many as it took place in a heavily fortified area of Kabul.[2]
The attack[edit]
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 children, a Canadian, a New Zealander, two Bangladeshis, and a Paraguayan diplomat. 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.[3][4][5]
Victims[edit]
Country | Number |
---|---|
Afghanistan | 4 |
New Zealand | 1 |
Canada | 1 |
Bangladesh | 2 |
Paraguay | 1 |
Total | 9 |
Notable victims:
- Luis Maria Duarte, former ambassador of Paraguay to Afghanistan, United Nations lawyer[6]
- Ahmad Sardar, Afghan journalist for Agence France-Presse, killed along with his wife and two children; their third child was badly injured[7]
Perpetrators[edit]
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.[8]
See also[edit]
- 2008 Kabul Serena Hotel attack: a similar attack that occurred on the same hotel six years prior
- 2015 Park Palace guesthouse attack: an attack by the Taliban on a Kabul guesthouse hosting foreign nationals
- Boston Marathon bombing
- List of Islamist terrorist attacks
- List of terrorist incidents, January–June 2014
References[edit]
- ^ "Afghan Official says 9 People, including 4 Foreigners, Killed in Attack on Kabul hotel (Reuters)". Bigstory.ap.org. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
- ^ "Nine killed in Kabul hotel attack". BBC News. 2014-03-21. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
- ^ Rosenberg, Matthew; Ahmed, Azam (2014-03-11). "Illusion of Safety at Afghan Haven Is Shattered". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
- ^ Graham-Harrison, Emma (2014-03-21). "Taliban gunmen kill nine civilians in attack at Kabul's Serena hotel". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
- ^ "Nine dead in Kabul hotel attack". Al Jazeera America. 2015-08-25. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
- ^ "Diplomático paraguayo fallece en un ataque de talibanes en hotel de Kabul" (in Spanish). ABC Color. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ "AFP reporter, family among nine killed in Kabul hotel attack". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ Mahr, Krista (2014-03-21). "Nine Dead in a Hotel Bloodbath: Welcome to Campaign Season in Kabul". Time. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
- Attacks in 2014
- Taliban attacks
- Terrorist incidents in Afghanistan in 2014
- Attacks on hotels
- Hotels in Kabul
- Mass shootings in Afghanistan
- Murder–suicides in Asia
- Mass murder in 2014
- Military operations of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
- 21st century in Kabul
- March 2014 events
- Attacks on buildings and structures in Afghanistan