Taliban attack on luxury hotel kills two

Kabul: A suicide bomb attack on a luxury hotel in the Afghan capital Kabul killed at least two guards on Monday.

The five-star Serena Hotel has been recently opened and used by foreign embassies for meetings. It is mainly frequented by Western visitors.

Two attackers threw hand grenades killing two guards to get past the outer security cordon and into the hotel compound where they exploded their vests, the police official said.

Another police official said the blast had happened inside the hotel compound.

A Western security source said guards had opened fire on the attackers outside the hotel.

A Taliban spokesman said one suicide bomber and three militants with grenades and gunfire attacked the hotel.

Ambulances and US troops in Humvees rushed to the hotel after the attack.