NATO Copter Ends Kabul Hotel Siege

Taliban Claims Responsibility for Suicide Assault That Killed at Least 10 Police Officers

By MARIA ABI-HABIB and ZIA SULTANI
WSJ

KABUL—A helicopter from the coalition led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization fired on and killed three militants on the roof of Kabul's InterContinental Hotel, ending the nearly six-hour siege by gunmen and suicide bombers that demonstrated the Taliban's ability to stage dramatic attacks in Afghanistan's capital.

A spokesman for Afghanistan's Ministry of the Interior said at least seven people, including one policeman, were killed in the attack, and eight others were wounded. The militants had occupied the hotel, which is popular with foreigners, and made a final stand on the roof, suggesting that the casualty count could rise substantially. There were also reports of a fire on the hotel's roof, with witnesses saying the flames had consumed much of the building.

Many of the hotel's guests were provincial government officials who traveled to Kabul to attend a two-day meeting on transition starting Wednesday. The meeting will focus on the handover of security responsibilities from the U.S.-led coalition to Afghan forces by 2014. Many Western officials are doubtful about the capability of the Afghan forces to secure their own country.

British army Maj. Tim James said a helicopter from the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan "circled the hotel and engaged three individuals on the roof, which resulted in two explosions. Fifteen minutes later, Afghan security forces managed to get on the roof and then cleared and secured it."

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