Taliban militants who killed at least 22 people at a luxury Kabul hotel went from room to room searching for foreigners, the survivors said on Monday as more details of the victims emerged.
Insurgents armed with Kalashnikovs and suicide vests attacked the landmark Intercontinental Hotel overlooking the Afghan capital late on Saturday in an assault that lasted more than 12 hours and prompted questions over how the attackers breached security.
Guests hid behind pillars and in rooms as gunmen sprayed bullets and set fire to parts of the six-storey building.
“They were saying, kill the foreigners,” a 20-year-old hotel employee who gave his name as Hasibullah said from his hospital bed.
He described hiding in a fifth-floor room and listening as the gunmen went from room to room, forcing doors open “with daggers” and killing those inside.
One other witness claimed he had seen the militants beheading guests.
The attack ended on Sunday with all six militants killed by Afghan forces, aided by Norwegian troops.
Afghan Health Ministry spokesperson Waheed Majroh said 22 bodies had now been taken to Kabul hospitals. “Some of the bodies [are] burned badly and need DNA tests to be identified,” he said.
The Interior Ministry gave a lower toll on Monday, saying 19 people were dead, 14 of them foreigners.
Authorities said they were still investigating how militants breached security, which was taken over by a private company three weeks ago.
