Dane killed in Kabul terror attack

14 foreigners among 21 people killed in a Taleban attack on a restaurant yesterday

Jan 18, 2014

A Danish woman was killed in a Taleban terror attack on a Lebanese restaurant in Kabul, Afghanistan, yesterday.

The woman, 34, had arrived in January to work with the EU's police mission in Afghanistan, EUPOL, and had previously worked in Afghanistan for the UN, Ritzau reports.

According to AFP, 21 people died during the attack – 14 of them foreigners – while five remain injured.

Despicable crime
"It's terrible that a Danish staff member of the EU's police mission in Afghanistan, who was sent by Denmark and the Foreign Ministry, was killed in a terror attack in Kabul," the foreign minister, Holger K Nielsen (SF), stated.

"My deepest sympathies and thoughts go to the victim's friends and family, as well as the other victims of this despicable and tragic crime. I condemn the terror attack in the strongest terms. The staff member went to Afghanistan to make a difference and to help secure ordinary Afghans a better and safer life," Nielsen said.

A suicide bomber exploded at the restaurant gates at 7pm, which enabled two heavily-armed men to enter the restaurant and fire on guests and staff. The assailants were killed following a standoff with security forces.

UN staff killed
Among the deceased is the Afghan representative to the International Monetary Fund along with four UN staff and the restaurant owner.

"Four United Nations personnel, along with a number of those from other international organizations, are now confirmed dead," UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon said in a statement.

The deceased count citizens of the US, Canada, Russia, Lebanon and Denmark.

This morning, the Taleban took responsibility for the attack which they say was retaliation for a recent coalition air strike that killed civilians.