London: The atrocious Taliban attack on a guesthouse in Afghanistan in which 14 people, including four Indians, were killed shows the militant group's contempt for human life and presents a "worrying spike" in assaults on "soft targets", Amnesty International said today.
"Last night's deadly siege in a central Kabul hotel is a stark reminder of the Taliban's contempt for human life," it said.
Four Indians, two Pakistanis and an American were among the 14 people killed in the attack, with a top Afghan official saying the Indian Ambassador could have been the target of the militants who stormed the complex popular among expats.
"This atrocious attack on a well-known hotel in central Kabul is a worrying sign that the Taliban's spring offensive is in full swing, putting civilians at heightened risk of death and injury," said Horia Mosadiq, Afghanistan Researcher at Amnesty International.
"There has been a worrying spike in assaults carried out by the Taliban and other armed groups on 'soft targets' across Afghanistan in recent weeks ? of which this is just the latest attack ? resulting in a high civilian death toll," she said.
According to Agency Coordinating Body of Afghan Relief and Development (ACBAR), seven humanitarian workers were among those killed in last night's attack.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) also condemned a second attack yesterday on the Department of Haj and Religious Endowment in Lashkargah in Helmand, which killed three people.
UNAMA said such "deliberate attacks on civilians are atrocities."
The agency recently stated the Taliban and other armed groups are responsible for almost three-quarters of all civilian deaths in Afghanistan.
"The Taliban are well aware of their obligations under international humanitarian law, but they only refer to it when it suits them. The Taliban must immediately end their brutal practice of targeting and killing civilians and abide by the rules of war," said Horia Mosadiq.
