Nato helicopters battle insurgents at Kabul hotel
Two Nato helicopters have killed three gunmen on top of a hotel in Kabul after insurgents attacked with suicide bombers, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, coalition sources in Afghanistan said.
Jason Waggoner, a spokesman for the coalition, said the helicopters fired early this morning on the roof where militants had taken up positions.
He said they killed three gunmen and that Afghan security forces clearing the hotel worked their way up to the roof and engaged the remaining insurgents.
The helicopters attacked after four massive explosions rocked the Inter-Continental hotel.
Associated Press reporters at the scene said the two blasts – about a minute apart – occurred around 2.30am Wednesday local time.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.
Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said four suicide bombers either blew themselves up or were killed in the attack.
A US official in Washington said initial reports are that there were no Americans at the hotel.
