Kabul: Four Afghan militants were killed after being tried to storm a guest house in a diplomatic area of the Afghan capital, Kabul.
Following the attack there was an overnight gun battle in the Wazir Akbar Khan district, which is home to several embassies and official buildings. The Taliban launched the attack was lasted at least for six hours.
The interior ministry said that the attackers were armed with a rocket propelled grenade launched and other weapons. No civilian or military casualties were reported so far.
Deputy interior minister Mohammad Ayoub Salangi said that the four attackers were possessed with one RPG launcher, three AK-47s and one grenade launcher.
Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi said that the four gunmen were killed before reaching their target.
According to Afghanistan’s interior ministry, the attackers target was the former Heetal guest house, attacked by the Taliban in December 2009. The guest house is now officially known as the Rabbani Guest house. It is popular with foreigners and an asset of the Rabbani family, including Afghanistan’s current Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani, and its former president, Burhanuddin Rabbani.
Earlier, Kabul police spokesman Ebadullah Karimi said that the attackers had taken position among the trees behind the guest house.
The hotel manager has revealed that the inmates of the guest house were in safe rooms and no-one was hurt. As per the manager’s report, there were one or two explosions in the beginning. As the guards started firing, the attackers were unable to get inside the guest house.
Correspondents said that the attackers were appeared to have tried to enter the hotel by firing a rocket propelled grenade at its heavy steel front gate. Part of the gate was destroyed, but it was not damaged enough for the militants to get through.
The Police were later seen smashing street lights to cover their movements in the dark. The military action was dragged on because police had to wait until daylight enabling them to identify and move in on their targets.
Security forces were blocked roads and taken up key positions on rooftops. There were armored personnel vehicles in the streets parked near the guest house.
The encounter ended with a dawn round of sustained gunfire and big explosions that sent clouds of black smoke into the sky.
The attack was begun shortly before 23:00 hrs (18:30 GMT).

Video on Kabul guest house attack