Le forze speciali, secondo il Ministero dell'interno afgano, hanno abbattuto almeno due dei quattro assalitori che hanno attaccato sabato sera alle 18.30 ora svizzera l'Hotel Intercontinental di Kabul, situato su una collina che sovrasta la città e soprattutto in passato frequentato da numerosi stranieri, poi diminuiti dopo l'attacco analogo che fece 21 morti nel 2011.
Diverse persone sono rimaste uccise e almeno sei ferite nell'azione terroristica, ancora in corso dopo cinque ore. Il bilancio è però ancora incerto, non ci sono cifre ufficiali. Un testimone ha riferito di aver visto almeno 15 vittime, un altro di ostaggi e di persone gettate dalle finestre al grido di Allah Akhbar. Molti degli ospiti sarebbero però anche stati portati in salvo, ha riferito un portavoce.
L'assalto è iniziato quando uomini armati, forse appartenenti all'IS o alla rete estremista Haqqani vicina ai talebani, sono penetrati nelle cucine, per poi staccare la corrente e iniziare a sparare all'impazzata. Un incendio è stato appiccato al quarto piano. Il commando si è quindi asserragliato ai piani superiori.
pon/AFP/ATS/Reuters
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