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Norway minister at Afghan hotel hit by bomb

Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:39am EST
(Adds details, background)

OSLO, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Norway's foreign minister was staying at a luxury hotel in the Afghan capital Kabul which was attacked by a suicide bomber on Monday but he is said to be safe, Norwegian television stations said.

Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere is hiding in the basement of the hotel, the foreign ministry said in a live interview aired at broadcaster TV2.

A journalist from the Norwegian daily newspaper Dagbladet was injured in the attack, public broadcaster NRK said.

At least two guards were killed in the suicide bomb attack at the five-star Serena Hotel in the centre of the city, a police official in Kabul said. The hotel is mainly frequented by rich foreigners.

Some reports said that an employee from Norway's foreign ministry was also hurt in the attack, but the foreign ministry said they had received information that all its delegates were safe.

Norway has about 500 soldiers in Afghanistan as part of a NATO-led international force sent there after U.S. and Afghan opposition forces toppled the Taliban in 2001.

Defence officials have said Norway would reinforce its military presence there in 2008, bringing numbers above 700 for a limited period.

NRK said the Islamist Taliban group had claimed responsibility for the attack. (Reporting by Aasa Christine Stoltz; Editing by Ibon Villelabeitia)





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