Afghan security forces have killed three Taliban fighters after a suicide attack on a guest house near the Spanish embassy in Kabul.
The three militants - one of which is believed to be a suicide bomber - were killed after hours of intermittent gunfire and explosions that lasted in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Two foreign nationals - including a Spanish security officer - and four Afghan police were also killed in the attack, according to local police spokesman Basir Mujahid.
Nearly 50 people had to be evacuated from the embassy after it came under attack at around 6pm on Friday evening - with nine Afghan civilians being wounded in the siege.
Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi said: “The operation took time because we wanted to rescue the people trapped in surrounding buildings and we had to move cautiously and in a proper tactical manner.”
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack on what they called the “invader’s guest house”.
In a statement, the terror group taunted the Afghan authorities’ “disgrace” at being unable to prevent the attack in the heavily protected part of Kabul - home to several embassies and government buildings.
Its spokesman Zabihulla Mujahid said: “The presence of our Mujahideen with weapons and a car loaded with explosives in such a high security area shows God's support and the cooperation of the poor and Muslim people.”
Additional reporting by Reuters
