A Taliban assault on the Intercontinental Hotel in Afghanistan's capital killed at least six people, including a foreigner, and pinned security forces down for more than 13 hours before the last attacker was killed on Sunday, with the casualty toll expected to rise.

People trapped at the top of the six-storey Intercontinental Hotel, which sits on a hilltop overlooking the Afghan capital and is popular with international visitors and Afghan officials, could be seen tying together bedsheets and climbing over balconies to escape the overnight siege.

One lost his grip and fell in dramatic television footage by Afghanistan's Tolo News station, which also showed black smoke and flames billowing from the top of the hotel.

The Taliban claimed the attack, which began around 9 pm Saturday, saying five gunmen armed with suicide vests targeted foreigners and Afghan officials.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the insurgents initially planned to attack the hotel Thursday night but postponed the assault because there was a wedding underway and they wanted to avoid civilian casualties.
The attack unfolded almost six years after Taliban insurgents launched a similar assault on the property, which is not part of the InterContinental chain of worldwide hotels.

The attackers blasted their way into the hotel and were understood to be involved in a gunfight with security forces on the third and fourth floors and  set the kitchen of fire.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the six killed included a foreigner and a telecommunications official from the western Farah province who was attending a conference.

Officials said two of the attackers had been killed in cross fire.

Interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said: "They are now on the third and fourth floors fighting with our forces ...They set the kitchen on fire. Firefighters are also there."
Eyewitness near the area said they could hear heavy gunfire and saw a high volume of ambulances at the scene as the siege continued.

Officials told the Telegraph that they were unsure how many guests were inside the hotel, but a number of guests had been evacuated. They also feared that a number of guests had been taken hostage, but were unsure how many. 

Source:AFP