14 January 2008
Carsten Thomassen
Explosion
A Taliban attack on the Serena hotel, a luxury facility in the Afghan capital of Kabul, killed six people, including a Norwegian journalist.
The report said among those killed was an American and Carsten Thomassen a reporter for Dagbladets. The Norwegian newspaper announced the 38-year-old died at a hospital. An Afghan government spokesman blamed the attack on a suicide bomber, but a witness said the victims died in gunfire. He said three or four of the victims were shot point blank by the attackers.
A Taliban spokesman told the BBC the attack was carried out by four militants armed with automatic rifles, grenades and explosives jackets. The militant group said the blast was caused by a bomber detonating his explosive jacket.
