Taliban militants storm hotel in northwestern Afghanistan, kill at least eight people

Members of the Taliban militant group have attacked a hotel in Afghanistan’s northwestern province of Badghis, killing at least eight people and wounding nearly a dozen more, officials say.

Members of the Taliban militant group have attacked a hotel in Afghanistan’s northwestern province of Badghis, killing at least eight people and wounding nearly a dozen more, officials say. 

According to Interior Ministry’s spokesman Nusrat Rahimi, three Taliban militants assaulted a commercial building housing a hotel in Chawk-e-Pesta neighborhood in the provincial capital of Qala-e-Naw at around 12:40 pm local time on Saturday. 

Afghanistan’s Tolo News TV further quoted him as saying that the militants began firing indiscriminately at people after entering the hotel, killing eight security officials and ten others, seven of whom were security forces. 

Rahimi added that two of the assailants were killed in an ongoing exchange of fire with security forces. He also said the death toll may rise in the hotel, which is located near the police headquarters and the governor’s house. 

Taliban has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.