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Kabul's top hotel under terror attack; 10 killed

Last updated on: June 29, 2011 01:31 IST

The Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul has come under attack by suicide bombers and gunmen, in which at least 10 people have been reportedly killed, reported BBC.

Kabul's police chief told the BBC that security forces were exchanging fire with up to six assailants who had got inside the hotel popular with foreign tourists.

A security official said three suicide bombers had blown themselves up -- at the hotel's front gate, on the second floor, and at the back of the hotel, the report stated.

Guests at the Intercontinental told BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul that the scene was one of chaos and panic, and that they had been told not to open their doors.

Afghan officials told the BBC that a group of Afghan governors had been meeting at the hotel at the time of the attack.

The Intercontinental is one of Kabul's best-known hotels and is situated on a hill in the west of the city.

An Afghan intelligence official at the hotel told the BBC: ''We are still fighting the attackers. Our initial reports show there are at least 10 casualties."

"One of the attackers managed to get on the roof of the hotel. The electricity is gone. We are covering a lot of area in and around the hotel. But we have a lot of guests in the room that we want to protect," he added.

There is now a heavy police presence and traffic is being diverted.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the group was behind the attack in telephone calls to two news agencies.