2014 Kabul Serena Hotel shooting

Terrorist mass shooting in Kabul, Afghanistan

Not to be confused with 2008 Kabul Serena Hotel attack.

2014 Kabul Serena Hotel attack

Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)

Kabul Serena Hotel

Location| Kabul, Afghanistan
Coordinates| 34°31′14″N 69°10′41″E﻿ / ﻿34.52056°N 69.17806°E﻿ / 34.52056; 69.17806
Date| 20 March 2014 (2014-03-20)
20:30 – 23:30 (UTC+4:30)
Target| Foreign election observers and journalists

Attack type

| Suicide attack
Deaths| 9 [1]
Injured| 2
Perpetrators|  Taliban

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War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

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Major insurgent attacks
2002

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2008

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2015

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2016

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2019

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2020

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2021

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Massacres

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Other

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* 2011–2016
* 2020–2021
* Peace process
* 2021 Kabul airlift

On 20 March 2014, Taliban militants carried out a mass shooting in the restaurant of the Kabul Serena Hotel, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The shooting, which took place in a hotel popular with foreigners and wealthy Afghans, killed nine civilians, including five foreigners. The attack was a shock to many as it took place in a heavily fortified area of Kabul.[2]

## Attack[edit]

Four teenage Taliban militants smuggled weapons in their shoes and socks and then hid in the hotel for several hours before commencing the attack. Armed with small handguns, the gunmen stormed the hotel's restaurant at around 8:30 pm – 9:00 pm, firing on guests as they dined and celebrated Nowruz, the Persian new year. Guests in the hotel barricaded themselves in their rooms and others fled. Nine people were killed, including Ahmad Sardar (a prominent Afghan journalist), Sardar's wife and two of their children, a Canadian, a New Zealander, two Bangladeshis, and a Paraguayan diplomat.[3][4] Afghan security forces responded to the attack, sealing off the hotel and launching a hunt for the gunmen. One of the militants was killed by armed hotel staff while the other three hid in the hotel. The search for the gunmen lasted several hours and ended when Afghan commandos killed them.[5][6][7]

### Victims[edit]

Deaths by nationality  Country  | Number

|

Afghanistan  | 4
New Zealand  | 1
Canada  | 1
Bangladesh  | 2
Paraguay  | 1
Norway  | 1
Total | 10

Notable victims:

* Carsten Thomassen, Norwegian photo journalist for Dagbladet
* Ahmad Sardar, Afghan journalist for Agence France-Presse.[8]

## Perpetrators[edit]

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.[9] The Afghan National Directorate of Security blamed Pakistani intelligence agencies for carrying out the attack, further adding that it was "unusual" that Pakistani nationals were not present in the hotel at the time of the attack.[10] However, it was reported that one Pakistani national was killed during the shooting[11][12] although the Pakistani foreign office issued a statement saying the national was alive but in a coma as well as condemning the attack.[13]

## Aftermath[edit]

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe withdrew their election observers in response to the attack; one victim was an observer working for the NDI.[14]

## See also[edit]

* 2008 Kabul Serena Hotel attack: a similar attack that occurred on the same hotel six years prior
* 2015 Park Palace guesthouse attack: an attack by the Taliban on a Kabul guesthouse hosting foreign nationals
* Boston Marathon bombing
* List of Islamist terrorist attacks
* List of terrorist incidents, January–June 2014
* List of terrorist attacks in Kabul

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Afghan Official says 9 People, including 4 Foreigners, Killed in Attack on Kabul hotel (Reuters)". Bigstory.ap.org. Archived from the original on 22 March 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
2. ^ "Nine killed in Kabul hotel attack". BBC News. 21 March 2014. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
3. ^ "AFP reporter, family among nine killed in Kabul hotel attack". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
4. ^ "Diplomático paraguayo fallece en un ataque de talibanes en hotel de Kabul" [Paraguayan diplomat dies in Taliban attack on Kabul hotel]. ABC Color (in Spanish). 20 March 2014. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
5. ^ Rosenberg, Matthew; Ahmed, Azam (11 March 2014). "Illusion of Safety at Afghan Haven Is Shattered". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
6. ^ Graham-Harrison, Emma (21 March 2014). "Taliban gunmen kill nine civilians in attack at Kabul's Serena hotel". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
7. ^ "Nine dead in Kabul hotel attack". Al Jazeera America. 25 August 2015. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
8. ^ "AFP reporter, family among nine killed in Kabul hotel attack". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Archived from the original on 22 March 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
9. ^ Mahr, Krista (21 March 2014). "Nine Dead in a Hotel Bloodbath: Welcome to Campaign Season in Kabul". Time. Archived from the original on 21 March 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
10. ^ Ghanizada, Ahmad Shah (25 March 2014). "Pakistan's ISI plotted attack on Serena hotel in Kabul: NDS". The Khaama Press News Agency. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
11. ^ Graham-Harrison, Emma (21 March 2014). "Taliban gunmen kill nine civilians in attack at Kabul's Serena hotel". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
12. ^ "Nine killed in Kabul hotel attack". 21 March 2014. Archived from the original on 22 June 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
13. ^ "Serena Hotel: Pakistani injured, not killed, in Kabul attack". The Express Tribune. 22 March 2014. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
14. ^ Donati, Jessica (23 March 2014). "Election observers pull foreign staff out of Afghanistan after hotel attack". Reuters. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.

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War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

Overview|

* Prelude
* History
* Timeline
* Operations
* Logistics
* Impact
* International Security Assistance Force
* Taliban insurgency
* Drone strikes in Pakistan
* Withdrawal of U.S. troops
* 2011–2016
* 2020–2021
* Resolute Support Mission
* Evacuation

Casualties
and losses|

* Afghan forces
* Civilian
* 2001–2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2011
* 2012
* Coalition
* United States
* United Kingdom
* Canadian
* German
* Norwegian
* Aviation incidents

Timeline|

| 2001|

* Bombing of Kandahar
* Fall of Mazar-i-Sharif
* Siege of Kunduz
* Herat uprising
* Fall of Kabul
* Battle of Tarinkot
* Fall of Kandahar
* Battle of Qala-i-Jangi
* Dasht-i-Leili massacre
* Battle of Shawali Kowt
* Battle of Sayyd Alma Kalay
* Battle of Tora Bora

|

2002
–2006|

* 2002
* Guantanamo Bay
* Uruzgan bombing
* Kabul bombing
* 2003
* Pakistan Embassy in Kabul attack
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006

2007|

* Shinwar shooting
* Hyderabad airstrike
* Nangar Khel incident
* Helmand airstrikes
* Baghlan bombing
* Bagram bombing
* South Korean hostage crisis

2008|

* Haska Meyna airstrike
* Azizabad airstrike
* Wech Bagtu airstrike
* Kabul Indian embassy bombing
* Kabul S Hotel attack
* Kidnapping of David Rohde
* Sarposa attack
* Kandahar bombing
* Spin Boldak bombing

2009|

* Granai airstrike
* Kunduz airstrike
* Narang raid
* February Kabul raids
* Kabul Indian embassy bombing
* Kandahar bombing
* NATO HQ bombing
* Camp Chapman attack
* Battle of Sabzak

2010|

* January Kabul attack
* Raid on Khataba
* February Kabul attack
* Uruzgan attack
* Sangin airstrike
* Maywand murders
* Tarok Kolache
* Nadahan bombing
* May Kabul bombing
* Badakhshan massacre
* Operation Halmazag

2011|

* Mano Gai airstrike
* Sarposa prison escape
* Bin Laden raid
* Logar bombing
* I-C Hotel Kabul attack
* Nimruz bombing
* Zabul bombing
* Chinook shootdown
* Helmand killing
* Pakistani border attack
* Ashura bombings

2012|

* Order of battle
* Urination video
* Kapisa airstrike
* Quran burning protests
* April attacks
* Forward Operating Base Delhi massacre
* Kandahar massacre
* September Camp Bastion raid
* Shesh Aba raid
* Body pictures

2013|

* Farah attack
* June Kabul bombings
* Presidential palace attack
* Herat U.S. consulate attack
* Jalalabad Indian consulate bombing

2014|

* Kabul S Hotel attack
* Herat Indian consulate attack
* Bagram bombing
* Paktika bombing
* Yahyakhel bombing
* December Kabul bombings
* Atiqullah Raufi assassination

2015|

* Park Palace attack
* Kabul Parliament attack
* Khost bombing
* April Jalalabad bombing
* 7 August Kabul attacks
* 10 August Kabul bombing
* 22 August Kabul bombing
* Ghazni prison escape
* Battle of Kunduz
* Hospital airstrike
* Kandahar Airport bombing
* Kabul Spanish Embassy attack
* Bagram bombing

2016|

* Nangarhar offensive
* Operation Omari
* April Kabul attack
* Kunduz-Takhar highway hostage crisis
* Kabul Canadian Embassy convoy bombing
* 30 June bombings
* July Kabul bombing
* Janikhel offensive
* AUoA attack
* September Kabul attacks
* Battle of Tarinkot
* Battle of Kunduz
* Battle of Boz Qandahari
* Mazar-i-Sharif German consulate bombing
* Bagram bombing

2017|

* January bombings
* Sangin airstrike
* March Kabul attack
* Nangarhar airstrike
* Camp Shaheen attack
* May Kabul bombing
* June Herat bombing
* Battle of Bora Bora
* June Lashkargar bombing
* August Herat attack
* 17 October attacks
* 20 October attacks
* 28 December Kabul bombing

2018|

* I-C Hotel Kabul attack
* STC Jalalabad attack
* Kabul ambulance bombing
* March Kabul bombing
* Kunduz madrassa attack
* 22 April Kabul bombing
* 30 April Kabul bombings
* Battle of Farah
* July Jalalabad bombing
* Battle of Darzab
* Ghazni offensive
* September Jalalabad bombing

2019|

* Maidan Shar attack
* Camp Shorabak attack
* 2019 Kabul mosque bombing
* 1 July Kabul attack
* Ghazni bombing
* 28 July Kabul bombing
* July Farah bombing
* 7 August Kabul bombing
* 17 August Kabul bombing
* 2 & 5 September Kabul bombings
* 17 September bombings
* Qalat bombing
* Jalalabad suicide bombing
* Haska Meyna mosque bombing
* Bagram attack

2020|

* 6 March Kabul shooting
* Kabul gurdwara attack
* May attacks
* June attacks
* July attacks
* August attacks
* Jalalabad prison
* September attacks
* October attacks
* November attacks
* Kabul University attack
* December attacks

2021|

* Attacks
* Taliban offensive
* Kabul school bombing
* Battle of Kandahar
* Fall of Herat
* Battle of Lashkargah
* Capture of Zaranj
* Fall of Kabul
* Kunduz mosque bombing
* Kandahar bombing
* 2021 Kabul Airlift
* Operation Allies Refuge
* Operation Pitting
* Operation Devi Shakti
* Kabul airport attack
* August 29 drone strike

Aftermath|

* Recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
* Republican insurgency
* Islamic State–Taliban conflict

War crimes|

* ICC investigation
* Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission
* UK Afghan Unlawful Killings inquiry
* Australian Brereton Inquiry
* War crimes by the Taliban
* Kunduz hospital airstrike
* Kandahar massacre
* Torture
* Bagram torture and prisoner abuse
* Salt Pit

Peace
process|

* Afghan peace process
* Afghan peace groups
* Tabassum movement
* Enlightenment Movement
* Uprising for Change
* People's Peace Movement
* 2021–2022 Afghan protests

Reactions|

* Afghan War documents leak
* International public opinion
* Opposition
* Protests
* To the fall of Kabul

Memorials|

* London

* Category
* Multimedia
* Wikinews
* Portal

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* t
* e

War on terror

* War in Afghanistan
* Iraq War (2003–2011)
* Symbolism of terrorism

Participants|

| Operational|

* ISAF
* Operation Enduring Freedom participants
* Afghanistan
* Northern Alliance
* Iraq (Iraqi Armed Forces)
* NATO
* Pakistan
* United Kingdom
* United States
* European Union
* Philippines
* Ethiopia

|

Targets|

| Individuals|

* Osama bin Laden
* Hamza bin Laden
* Anwar al-Awlaki
* Sirajuddin Haqqani
* Jalaluddin Haqqani
* Anas Haqqani
* Khalil Haqqani
* Hafiz Saeed
* Mahmoud Mohamed Ahmed Bahaziq
* Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

|

Factions|

* al-Qaeda
* al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
* Abu Sayyaf
* Al-Shabaab
* Boko Haram
* Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami
* Hizbul Mujahideen
* Islamic Courts Union
* Jaish-e-Mohammed
* Jemaah Islamiyah
* Lashkar-e-Taiba
* Taliban
* Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan
* Islamic State

Conflicts|

| Operation
Enduring Freedom|

* War in Afghanistan
* OEF – Philippines
* Georgia Train and Equip Program
* Georgia Sustainment and Stability
* OEF – Horn of Africa
* OEF – Trans Sahara
* Drone strikes in Pakistan

|

Other|

* Operation Active Endeavour
* Insurgency in the Maghreb (2002–present)
* Insurgency in the North Caucasus
* Moro conflict in the Philippines
* Iraq War
* Iraqi insurgency
* Operation Linda Nchi
* Terrorism in Saudi Arabia
* Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
* War in Somalia (2006–2009)
* 2007 Lebanon conflict
* al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen

Related|

* Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse
* Axis of evil
* Bush Doctrine
* Clash of Civilizations
* Cold War
* Combatant Status Review Tribunal
* Criticism of the war on terror
* CIA black sites
* Killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri
* Killing of Osama bin Laden
* Enhanced interrogation techniques
* Torture Memos
* Extrajudicial prisoners
* Extraordinary rendition
* Guantanamo Bay detention camp
* Iranian Revolution
* Islamic terrorism
* Islamism
* Military Commissions Act of 2006
* Military Commissions Act of 2009
* North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
* Terrorist Surveillance Program
* Operation Noble Eagle
* Operation Eagle Assist
* Pakistan's role
* Patriot Act
* President's Surveillance Program
* Protect America Act of 2007
* September 11 attacks
* Situation Room photograph
* State Sponsors of Terrorism
* Targeted killing
* Targeted Killing in International Law
* Targeted Killings: Law and Morality in an Asymmetrical World
* Unitary executive theory
* Unlawful combatant
* Withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan (2011–2016)
* Withdrawal of United States troops from Iraq (2007–2011)
* CAGE

* Category
* Commons

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