A group of four gunmen attacked the Intercontinental Hotel in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday and were exchanging fire with security forces, an interior ministry spokesman said.

Details of the incident, including information on any casualties, were unclear but the attackers appeared to have included suicide bombers, ministry spokesman Najib Danish said.

There were reports that a number of people were being held hostage, while an eye witness said that part of the building was on fire.

Special forces were on the scene battling the attackers, according to local media reports.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, the latest in a long series to have hit Kabul.

Although the NATO-led Resolute Support mission says the Taliban has come under pressure after the United States increased assistance to Afghan security forces and stepped up air strikes against the insurgents, security is precarious.

The incident comes days after US Embassy in Kabul issued a warning that said armed groups may be planning attacks against hotels in the city.

The Intercontinental, situated on a hill overlooking Kabul, is usually heavily guarded because of its popularity with government officials and foreigners living the Afghan capital.

The hotel is one of two main luxury hotels in Kabul and is used for events including conferences attended by government officials.

This was the second time that the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul came under attack.

In 2011, an overnight assault by Taliban gunmen and suicide bombers on the hotel ended with the killing of the attackers by security forces and the deaths of at least 10 civilians.



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This is serious

Afghanistan the deadly spot on earth, I hail o!