2015 Park Palace guesthouse attack

2015 armed attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, on international civilians

Kabul

Kabul (Afghanistan)

2015 Park Palace guesthouse attack

Part of the Taliban insurgency
Location| Shāre Naw, Kabul, Afghanistan
Date| 13 May 2015 (2015-05-13)
20:30[1] – 00:30[2] (UTC+4:30)
Target| Foreign nationals

Attack type

| hostage crisis, suicide attack
Deaths| 14[3]
Injured| 6[4]
Perpetrators|  Taliban

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Major insurgent attacks
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2018

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2019

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2020

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2021

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Other

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* U.S.–Afghan agreement
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* 2011–2016
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* 2021 Kabul airlift

On 13 May 2015, three gunmen stormed the Park Palace guesthouse in Kabul, Afghanistan. The attack is believed to be part of the Taliban's annual spring offensive against NATO's presence in the country.[5]

## Background

[edit]

Shortly before a concert was due to begin, three gunmen stormed the Park Palace Guest House in Kabul. The event was being attended primarily by foreign nationals from Turkey and India[6] but with some US and European nationals in attendance as well.[7] The guesthouse was likely targeted as part of the Taliban's common modus operandi to attack compounds hosting foreigners, which would not mark the first such attack by the Taliban in Afghanistan.[8]

Recent attacks targeting foreigners[9] as well as the March 2015 arrest of a commander of what US and other officials formerly called the "Kabul Attack Network"[10] had previously highlighted a potential for future targeting of foreign, particularly NATO-based nationals in the anticipated spring offensive launched annually by the Taliban. The Indian ambassador to Afghanistan, Amar Sinha, was also believed to be inside the hotel at the particular time, which may have made the location more high-profile.[11]

## Victims

[edit]

Deaths by nationality[12] Country  | Number

|

Afghanistan  | 4
India  | 4
Pakistan  | 2
Italy  | 1
Kazakhstan  | 1
United States  | 1
United Kingdom  | 1
Total | 14

## Siege

[edit]

Three gunmen entered as a party was being hosted in honour of a Canadian during a performance by an Indian national. A survivor of the attack who fled the premises initially gave media reports of up to forty foreigners possibly trapped inside, with Indian officials confirming at least six of their nationals at the guesthouse. Police officers had initially freed twenty individuals from inside the guesthouse, according to Afghan officials.[13]

Norwegian special forces from Marinejegerkommandoen[14] and Afghan security forces ended the operation shortly after midnight, killing the three assailants while rescuing over fifty people, including trapped guests and employees.[15] Five deaths had initially been confirmed by Afghan security agencies, with the death toll rising to fourteen the next day as the hotel was searched for more persons. The highly respected American aid expert Paula Kantor lost her life shortly after the attack, due to her injuries.[16]

## International reactions

[edit]

*  India \- After receiving news of the attack while on a three-day visit to China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he was "concerned about the situation" and offered his condolences via Twitter to Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.[17]
*  United Kingdom \- After announcing a British casualty, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond was quoted as saying that "these callous acts of terrorism against innocent civilians must not be allowed to threaten the future of a more peaceful Afghanistan."[18]

## See also

[edit]

* List of terrorist incidents, 2015
* 2008 Kabul Serena Hotel attack
* 2014 Kabul Serena Hotel attack
* List of terrorist attacks in Kabul

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Kabul's Park Palace Hotel siege ends, 5 confirmed dead". Reuters. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
2. ^ Harooni, Mirwais (13 May 2015). "Gunmen storm Kabul guest house, killing at least 5". Reuters. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
3. ^ "Death toll in Kabul hotel attack rises to 14; Taliban claims responsibility". 14 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
4. ^ Potter, Mitch (13 May 2015). "Afghan guesthouse siege ends with 5 dead, 6 wounded". thestar.com. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
5. ^ "Attack by gunmen on Kabul hotel ends with five dead". 13 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
6. ^ Popalzai, Masoud (13 May 2015). "Gunmen storm Kabul hotel; witness reports trapped guests". Retrieved 13 May 2015.
7. ^ "'Dozens held' in Kabul hotel attack". Belfast Telegraph. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
8. ^ Latifi, Ali (19 November 2014). "Taliban attacks housing complex for foreigners in Afghanistan". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 13 May 2015.[dead link]
9. ^ Rahim, Fazul (13 May 2015). "Afghanistan attack, suicide bomber attack NATO convoy in Kabul". NBC News. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
10. ^ Roggio, Bill (13 May 2015). "Afghan intel captures Taliban commander involved in targeting 'foreigners' in Kabul". longwarjournal.org. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
11. ^ "Taliban attacks Kabul guesthouse, 4 Indians and an American among 14 killed". The Indian Express. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
12. ^ "Kabul Park Palace Hotel attack kills 14". BBC News. 14 May 2015.
13. ^ O'Donnell, Lynne; Shah, Amir (13 May 2015). "Gunmen storm Afghan guesthouse hosting party for foreigners". Retrieved 13 May 2015.
14. ^ "Slik reddet de 49 gisler - Forsvaret.no". forsvaret.no. Archived from the original on 25 March 2017.
15. ^ "Slik reddet de 49 gisler - Forsvaret.no". forsvaret.no. Archived from the original on 25 March 2017.
16. ^ "Slik reddet de 49 gisler - Forsvaret.no". forsvaret.no. Archived from the original on 25 March 2017.
17. ^ "Taliban attacks Kabul guesthouse, 4 Indians and an American among 14 killed". The Indian Express. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
18. ^ "Death toll in Kabul hotel attack rises to 14; Taliban claims responsibility". 14 May 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2015.

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War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

Overview|

* Prelude
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* 2007
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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
* Taliban offensive

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
* Afghan frozen assets

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

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