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Afghanistan military forces have been engaged in bitter fighting with the Taliban in recent months [Xinhua]
Six foreigners – including Venezuelans and Ukrainians – were among the dead, but the death toll is feared to rise higher, the local media said.
Other news reports put the number of killed foreigners at 14. At least 12 people are reported in critical condition.
According to police reports, the Taliban has claimed responsibility for the siege of the hotel, during which all five of its militants died in a shootout with security forces.
The Taliban militants stormed the glitzy hotel popular with foreigners at around 9pm local time, heavily armed and wearing suicide vests.
They were all killed after a 12-hour gun fight.
When the militants were cornered between the third and fourth floors of the hotel, security forces helped evacuate residents.
It was unclear how many people had been staying at the hotel at the time, but local media said that it was likely there were foreign dignitaries at the time attending a telecommunications symposium.
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
