Afghan president praises forces for repelling attack

KABUL, Afghanistan - President Ashraf Ghani praised security forces on Wednesday for repelling a Taliban assault on a Kabul guesthouse, which sparked a six-hour gun battle that kept nearby residents cowering until dawn.

The stand by Afghan forces was a rare chance for authorities to boast about protection in the capital, which has faced a string of militant attacks targeting foreigners - including an assault on a hotel earlier this month that left at least 14 people dead.

But the ability of the attackers to penetrate into central Kabul, armed with a cache of weapons and ammunition, is likely to raise even more questions about whether Afghan security forces can keep the capital secure.

The latest attack began about 11 p.m. Tuesday when four heavily armed militants tried to storm a guesthouse owned by a prominent Afghan family and frequented by foreigners. The militants were armed with assault rifles, rocket launchers, and hand grenades. At least one of them was also wearing a suicide vest.

But when the attackers approached the guesthouse in Kabul's upscale Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood, several security guards began firing on them. One of the militants then blew himself up on the street in front of the Heetal Plaza Hotel.

The other three hid in a concrete bunker near the front gate of the guesthouse. As Afghan police and soldiers rushed to the scene, the surrounding neighborhood became an urban battlefield.

The attackers repeatedly lobbed grenades, resulting in more than two dozen explosions. More than 100 bullets were also fired by militants or police, neighbors said.

Around dawn, however, Afghan forces riding in armored vehicles blasted through the concrete outpost, killing all three attackers. Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, said there were no police or civilian casualties.

In a statement, President Ghani said Afghan "security forces once again proved that they are capable of defending our country and people against any threats."

Wazir Akbar Khan houses several foreign embassies, headquarters for international aid organizations, and the estates of wealthy Afghans.