India strongly condemns Taliban attack on Kabul guesthouse

Kabul: India on Thursday strongly condemned the Taliban attack on a guesthouse in the Afghan capital that killed 14 people, including four Indians.

"Embassy of India in Afghanistan strongly condemns yesterday's killing of over a dozen civilians in Park Palace hotel in Kabul for which the Taliban has claimed responsibility," the Indian Embassy here said in a statement.

"The four brave Indians who lost their lives in the Park Palace attack will be remembered for their selfless contribution to friendship between our nations," the statement said.

"The Mission also appreciates the Afghan Security forces for their valiant effort to evacuate the civilians from the hotel and for neutralising the terrorists in yesterday's attack," it said.

Late last evening, Afghan Taliban militants stormed the guesthouse in Kabul presuming that the Indian ambassador was inside the complex popular among foreign nationals.

All the attackers were killed in the siege that lasted for about seven hours, ending in the wee hours of this morning.

Expressing solidarity and sympathy with the bereaved families and the injured, the embassy statement conveyed heart-felt condolences to the people who lost their lives.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani today and condoled the loss of lives in the attack.

The statement also thanked Ghani, Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, and former president Hamid Karzai for their condolences to the families of Indians killed in the attack, saying the "Afghan leaders appreciated the contributions of Indians who are working here for the socio economic development of Afghanistan".

The Indian Embassy in Kabul was attacked twice in 2008 and 2009 killing 75 people.