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Nine people, including a well-known journalist and his family, were killed in Afghanistan
during a shooting at a luxury hotel in Kabul — stoking fears of potential bloodshed across
the country ahead of next month's presidential elections.
Four teenagers suspected to be Taliban members smuggled tiny pistols into Kabul's luxurious
Serena hotel Thursday evening before opening fire on hotel staff and guests at a dinner
celebration. (Via CBS)
The gunmen killed nine civilians, including four foreigners and two children, before being
taken out during a shoot-out with Afghan security forces. Among the five Afghans killed were
a French press agency journalist and his family. (Via CNN)
AFP released a statement shortly after the attack saying reporter Sardar Ahmad, his wife
and two of their three children were killed in the attack. The family's third child, his
youngest son, was badly wounded during the assault and is currently undergoing emergency
treatment at a local hospital. (Via Channel News Asia, Al Jazeera)
A BBC correspondent says Ahmad's death comes as a "shock" to Afghanistan's journalism community,
but that it does not appear he was targeted.
"A very well-known figure indeed in the journalistic community ... Such an irony that there he
was with his family ... celebrating, and they just happened to be the people sitting closest
to the door."
The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack, fueling fears the group will use
violence to keep Afghan voters away from the polls during the country's upcoming April
election.
The Wall Street Journal explains: "Thursday night's attack ... which came a week after
a Swedish journalist was gunned down in central Kabul, is certain to further reduce the international
role in monitoring the ... election to pick President Hamid Karzai's successor."
While the Taliban don't have a foothold in the capital, they claim the looming election
is illegitmate since the country is occupied by U.S. and NATO forces. If the election is
deemed successful, it will mark the first democratic power transition in Afghanistan's
history.