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2008 Kabul Serena Hotel attack

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2008 Kabul Serena Hotel attack
The Serena Hotel in Kabul
LocationKabul, Afghanistan
DateJanuary 14, 2008 (UTC+4:30)
TargetSenior foreign military officers
Attack type
Suicide attack
Deaths6[1]
Injured6
PerpetratorsTaliban

The 2008 Kabul Serena Hotel attack was an attack on the gym and spa of the Serena Hotel, in Kabul, Afghanistan on Monday, January 14, 2008 which the Taliban claimed responsibility for.

A Norwegian delegation under Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre resided at the hotel at the time of the attack. The attack claimed six lives, including Dagbladet journalist Carsten Thomassen. Six others were also injured.

Serena Hotel is a five star hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan, which has since its opening in 2005 been used by international media crews and politicians. The Hotel also houses the Australian embassy in Afghanistan.[2]

Details

The Attack

Shot of the perpetrator by a surveillance camera in the lobby of the Serena Hotel in Kabul.

At 6:30 pm local time, three men disguised in police uniforms created a distraction while a fourth man entered the hotel compound to detonate his suicide vest. Taliban spokesman Zadihullah Mujahid claimed that the militants had been armed with AK-47 automatic rifles, hand grenades and explosive jackets.[3].[4] After a car bomb had detonated outside the hotel, the terrorists began firing around inside the compound.[5] According to a NATO spokesman, one of the compound guards managed to kill one of the terrorists before they entered the hotel.[6]

Two of the terrorists threw hand grenades at the guards outside, then entered the hotel complex itself. As they entered the hotel, one of the terrorist detonated a suicide vest, while at least one terrorist, who was wearing a Afghan police uniform, begun firing around with a AK-47[7][8].

U.S. and Afghan soldiers search through the Hotel Serena in Kabul, Afghanistan, after the Taliban terrorist attack.

The Norwegian photographer Stian Solum explained that he was one of those shot at by a man wearing a Afghan police uniform as he left the lift.[8]. According to Norwegian foreign ministry spokeswoman Anne Lene Dale Sandsten Norwegian officials were in a meeting one level down from the reception when they heard shooting and "a big blast".[3]

The terrorists were supposedly planning to target the hotel’s exercise and spa facilities, which is used by many foreigners.[9]

After the attack, American and Afghan forces appeared at the scene in order to set up a perimeter around the hotel and search for the remaining assailants. The Norwegian ISAF force in Kabul evacuated injured and others from the hotel. The Norwegians used two armoured vehicles, a Sisu XA-186 and a patrol car, including a medic and a nurse during the evacuation.[10]

Fatalities

U.S. military personnel outside the perimeter of Serena Hotel.

Six people are believed to be dead and six wounded. Two Norwegians were shot and severely injured in the attack. One of them was the Dagbladet journalist Carsten Thomassen, who was hit by three rounds and later died from his wounds; the other was a male employee from the Norwegian Ministry of Defence.[8][11] They were transported by Norwegian soldiers to a Czech ISAF field hospital in Kabul,[7] where Thomassen died on the operation table due to his injuries.[12]

Two hotel guards were killed in the attack as well as a Filipino female employee at the hotel and an American citizen, Thor Hesla.[13] One of the attackers was killed by security forces and a second died in the explosion. A diplomat from the United Arab Emirates was shot in the abdomen and severely injured.[14]

The perpetrators

A Western medic who arrived at the hotel after the attack commented that one of the terrorists was found shot and killed in the lobby, one had detonated himself in the courtyard, one detonated himself on the roof and the fourth escaped from the scene.[14] One of the terrorists apparently locked himself on the hotel roof by mistake and then detonated his explosive vest.[15]. One of the terrorists, allegedly the one who fired his assault rifle inside the lobby, was captured by security guards shortly after the second detonation.[13].

Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre

A Norwegian bodyguard during the attack.

Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre resided at Serena Hotel along with a large delegation from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the time of the attack.[8]. Everyone attending the meeting located one floor below the lobby were ordered down on the floor by the Norwegian security guards. They remained lying down while the guards were ready to use their weapons, in case the room should be attacked.[16]

The delegation was then moved to safety in a bomb shelter in the basement of the hotel.[8]. Støre had just begun his meeting with the leader of the Afghan Human Rights Commission.[7].

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon later stated that the Norwegian delegation led by Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre had been the targets for the attack.[17], while Taliban released different statements. One source claimed the Norwegian foreign minister was not the target for the attack[5] Taliban wished to attack Serena Hotel while Støre resided there.[13].[18]

Støre cancelled the rest of his visit to Afghanistan the day after the attack.[10].

International reactions

Countries

  •  Norway – The Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg condemned the attack on the Hotel an said: "This is an unacceptable attack against civilians and another strike against the process towards peace and stability in Afghanistan. Now we are focusing on giving the injured the needed medical treatment as fast as possible."
    The Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre commented the death of Dagbladet journalist Carsten Thomassen, saying: "Carsten was unique among Norwegian journalists. He combined solid journalistic work with integrity and great knowledge. He has followed me on many journeys and he was until the end filled with his actions as a journalist. Those who as with Carsten in Kabul on January 14 is filled with grief and despair. My thoughts goes to his closest relatives and all of his friends and colleagues."[12]
  •  Denmark – The Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Møller said: "The Danish government condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist attack on the Norwegian Foreign Minister and the other innocent people. It is a cowardly attack which emphasizes that the threat from Taliban is real and unpredictable. But it is as well a signal about the fact that Taliban is now trying to frighten everyone who want to help Afghanistan away. Taliban's goal is to seize power and reinstate their politics of terror against the outside world. They must and shall not succeed. The Danish commitment stand firm. Let me as well express my deepest sympathies for the victims and their families in and outside Norway, who is our close ally."[19][20]
  •  Sweden – Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt condemned the attack in Kabul on his blogg, saying: "I feel a great disgust for these attacks which in the end hits innocent people and complicates the international efforts to help the development for a better Afghanistan."[22]

International organizations

  • International Press Institute - The International Press Institute strongly condemned the attack and the killing of Dagbladet journalist Carsten Thomassen. IPI Director David Dadge said: "This attack on innocent civilians is a brutal act of murder. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families and the colleagues of the victims. Thomassen was simply carrying out his job as a reporter, in this case reporting on an embassy meeting."[23]
  • NATO – A NATO spokesman at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels said: "Our impression is that the attack was not directed against Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Taliban can claim whatever they want without standing behind what they say. They have no credibility".[24]
  • Afghanistan Taliban - The Taliban spokesman Salah Adin al-Ayoupi confirmed Monday that Taliban had carried out the attack on the Hotel. The Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed said that the wished to attack the Serena Hotel while the Norwegian Foreign Minister was residing there. "We decided that we should attack at the right time in order to show these ministers and foreigners that our hand and our might can reach anywhere."
    However, the Taliban spokesman Salah Adin al-Ayoupi claimed that Taliban had no knowledge of the foreign minister residing at the hotel at the time of the attack. He claimed that everyone connected to NATO was the target for the attack, as Serena Hotel often housed international delegations.[24]
  •  United Nations – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon suggested that the deadly attack by Taliban militants on Hotel Serena was targeted on the Norwegian foreign minister and said it highlighted the need for action against extremist violence. "I am very much surprised by this terrorist attack against the foreign minister of Norway. I feel fortunate that he (Støre) was not injured, but that really confirms that we must take necessary measures to address terrorism".[12]

Controversy in Norway

The attack and Thomassen's death in particular triggered controversy in Norway when it became known that the Norwegian Foreign Ministry had ignored recommendations from the Norwegian Police Security Agency and the Norwegian military intelligence regarding the security arrangements for Støre's visit.[25] One particularly controversial decision, which may have contributed to the Taliban's choice of target, was to publish Støre's itinerary, including the name of the hotel where he would be staying, in advance of the trip.[26] Furthermore, while it is standard operating procedure for the Norwegian ISAF forces to escort any Norwegian delegation in Afghanistan with a protection detail including a medevac APC, the Foreign Ministry had declined such an escort.[27] Subsequent to the attack, sources within the Norwegian armed forces expressed dismay at the Norwegian Foreign Ministry's lack of proper contingency plans for medical evacuation.

See also

References

  1. ^ CTV.ca CTV
  2. ^ The Courier-Mail: Terrorists hit Australian embassy, published January 15 2008
  3. ^ a b BBC NEWS - Taleban attack Kabul luxury hotel
  4. ^ VG: VG-fotograf kjempet for kollegaens liv, published January 15 2008 Template:No icon
  5. ^ a b Nettavisen: Støre var ikke målet, published January 14 2008 Template:No icon
  6. ^ BBC News: Taleban attack Kabul luxury hotel, published January 14 2008
  7. ^ a b c Nettavisen: Ble beordret ned på gulvet, published January 14 2008 Template:No icon
  8. ^ a b c d e Aftenposten: Bombeangrep mot Støres hotell, published January 14 2008 Template:No icon Cite error: The named reference "ap2195598" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  9. ^ Dagbladet: Et sikkert hotell, published January 14 2008 Template:No icon
  10. ^ a b VG: Støre trolig hjem til Norge etter terrorangrepet, published January 14 2008 Template:No icon
  11. ^ Dagbladet: To nordmenn skutt på hotell i Kabul, published January 14 2008 Template:No icon
  12. ^ a b c Nettavisen: Dagbladet-journalist drept, published January 14 2008 Template:No icon Cite error: The named reference "na1538155" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  13. ^ a b c Aftenposten: Ville vise utlendingene, published January 15 2008 Template:No icon Cite error: The named reference "ap2196791" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  14. ^ a b BBC News: Eyewitness: Carnage in Kabul hotel, published January 14 2008
  15. ^ Aftenposten: Kabul-terrorist låste seg trolig ute på taket, published January 16 2008 Template:No icon
  16. ^ Aftenposten: Kastet seg i dekning da skuddene smalt, published January 14 2008 Template:No icon
  17. ^ VG: FN: Støre var målet, published January 14 2008 Template:No icon
  18. ^ VG: Taliban: Ville angripe mens Støre var på hotellet, published January 15 2008 Template:No icon
  19. ^ Dagbladet: Et forsøk på å skremme hjelpere bort, published January 14 2008 Template:No icon
  20. ^ Udenrigsministeriet: Udenrigsminister Per Stig Møller udtaler efter angrebet på den norske udenrigsminister i Kabul, published January 14 2008 Template:Dk icon
  21. ^ Ingibjörg Sólrún: Skelfileg tíðindi - Íslendingar í Kabúl innan vaktaðs svæðis, published January 14 2008 Template:Is icon
  22. ^ Allvarligt attentat i Kabul, published January 14 2008 Template:Sv icon
  23. ^ IPI (International Press Institute) :: IPI Condemns Murder of Norwegian Journalist in Kabul
  24. ^ a b VG Nett: Taliban: Ville angripe mens Støre var på hotellet, published January 15 2008 Template:No icon
  25. ^ Aftenposten.no Template:En icon Security measures questioned after attack in Kabul
  26. ^ dagbladet.no Template:No icon UD-rutiner under lupen
  27. ^ dagbladet.no Template:No icon Det tok 1 time og 54 minutter for Carsten hamnet pa operationsbordet
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