Taliban in Afghanistan

Islamist militant group the Taliban made multiple attacks in Kabul, Afghanistan, in January.

On Jan. 19, Taliban gunmen stormed the InterContinental Hotel, killing 22 people and taking more than 160 people hostage. Witnesses said that the gunmen specifically targeted Westerners, with four Americans among the victims. All of the gunmen were killed by Afghani armed forces, and the hostages were rescued.

On Jan. 27, a bomb in an ambulance was detonated on a busy street, killing at least 103 people and wounding more than 200. The street, known as “Chicken Street,” is home to shops, a hospital and the offices of the European Union. A Taliban spokesman said the attack was in retaliation for the US having provided training and equipment to the Afghan military. 

On Jan. 28, Taliban fighters attacked a military post in western Kabul, killing 11 soldiers and injuring 16. At least four Taliban were killed in the attack.