The Briefing Room
General Category => World News => Topic started by: flowers on March 28, 2014, 07:04:34 pm
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/28/us-afghanistan-attacks-idUSBREA2R0TT20140328
(Reuters) - Taliban gunmen stormed a Kabul guesthouse used by a U.S.-based aid group and held four foreigners hostage for several hours on Friday, just eight days before Afghanistan holds a presidential election which the militant group has vowed to derail.
Kabul is already on high alert and people across the country are on edge ahead of an April 5 vote the hardline Islamist movement denounces as a Western-backed sham.
The siege of the walled compound, which is also home to a small church, lasted several hours before Afghan security forces killed the last remaining Taliban gunman holed up inside.
At least one Afghan child was killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the building and insurgents forced their way in. There were no casualties among foreigners.
A Reuters witness saw about 20 people being evacuated from the guesthouse in an