Afghan police: Two explosions occur near hotel in Kabul; gunmen open fire

Afghan police: Two blasts occur in Kabul

KABUL — Two explosions rocked an area near a hotel in the heart of the Afghan capital Friday. Witnesses said suicide bombers were to blame and that gunmen opened fire at the site.

Abdul Ghafor Sayedzada, a top investigator for the Kabul police, confirmed the blasts, which occurred near the Kabul City Center, a nine-story shopping area near the Safi Landmark Hotel. A building in front of the hotel caught fire.

A reporter for The Associated Press said gunmen opened fire at the site.

Najibullah, a 25-year-old hotel worker, said he ran out of the hotel in his underwear when he heard the first explosion. He said he saw two suicide bombers on the site.

“I saw foreigners were crying and shouting,” said Najibullah, whose face and hands were covered in blood. “It was a very bad situation inside. God helped me; otherwise I would be dead. I saw one suicide bomber blowing himself up on the first floor of the hotel.”

The blasts occurred on Friday, the first day of the Afghan weekend when fewer people are on the streets.

The four-star hotel is about 15 minutes by road from Kabul International Airport, and is and is close to most government offices.

It was the first attack in the Afghan capital since Jan. 18, when teams of suicide bombers and gunmen targeted government buildings, leaving 12 dead, including seven attackers.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

KABUL (AP) — Two explosions rocked an area near a hotel in the heart of the Afghan capital Friday, and gunmen opened fire at the site.

Abdul Ghafor Sayedzada, a top investigator for the Kabul police, confirmed the blasts, which occurred near the Kabul City Center, a nine-story shopping area near a hotel that is frequented by Westerners.

A reporter for The Associated Press said gunmen opened fire at the site.

It was the first attack in the Afghan capital since Jan. 18, when teams of suicide bombers and gunmen targeted government buildings, leaving 12 dead, including seven attackers.