At least 5 people killed by gunmen during five-hour attack in Kabul


Five people, including an American and two Indian citizens, were killed by gunmen in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Wednesday after they forced their way into a guest house, police said.
The Park Palace guest house in the Kolola Pushta area is popular with foreigners, Reuters reports, and a concert was scheduled there later in the evening. Qadam Shah Shaheem, commander of the Afghan National Army's 111th Corps, told Reuters that "fortunately, most guests had not arrived yet" when the attack started. He said that Afghan police, army, and special forces rescued at least 16 people from the guest house during the attack that lasted five hours, and witnesses told police they believed as many as 100 people were inside.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy confirmed the death of at least one American, but would not give any other details. Earlier in the day, gunmen killed at least seven people during a meeting of Muslim clerics in Helmand province. The Taliban claimed responsibility for that attack.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Suspect charged after 11 die in Vancouver car attack
Speed Read Kai-Ji Adam Lo drove an SUV into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day festival
-
Kenya arrests alleged ant smugglers
speed read Two young Belgians have been charged for attempting to smuggle ants out of the country to exotic pet buyers
-
Judge ends Eric Adams case, Trump leverage
Speed Read Federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams were dismissed, as requested by Trump's Justice Department
-
Texas arrests midwife on felony abortion charges
Speed Read Maria Margarita Rojas and an employee at one of her clinics are the first to be criminally charged under Texas' near-total abortion ban
-
South Carolina to execute prisoner by firing squad
speed read Death row inmate Brad Sigmon prefers the squad over the electric chair or lethal injection, his lawyer said
-
Mexico extradites 29 cartel figures amid US tariff threat
Speed Read The extradited suspects include Rafael Caro Quintero, long sought after killing a US narcotics agent
-
Leonard Peltier released from prison
Speed Read The Native American activist convicted of killing two FBI agents had his life sentence commuted by former President Joe Biden
-
Ex-Sen. Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years
Speed Read The former New Jersey senator was convicted on federal bribery and corruption charges last year