Taliban Attack on Kabul Restaurant Kills 2 Americans

Two Americans are among those dead in a restaurant bombing and gunfire attack in Kabul Friday. The Taliban is claiming responsibility for the deadly assault. Witnesses say a suicide bomber detonated his explosives near the gate of the Lebanese restaurant. After the explosion, two other men entered the restaurant's kitchen and began firing at those inside. Security forces later shot and killed the two gunman. (Via BBC, RT) The New York Times notes it's one of the deadliest attacks on Western civilians since the war began in 2001. In total, 13 foreigners were killed in the attack, three of which worked for the United Nations. An official with the International Monetary Fund and a British contractor are also among the dead. The Taliban says it's deliberately targeting foreign officials, in revenge for an American airstrike earlier this week in the Panwar province, which it says killed civilians. According to The Wall Street Journal, the attack was likely carried out by by the Haqqani network, a Taliban-affiliated group based in Pakistan. Sky News notes the restaurant — which was popular with diplomats and aid workers — was like many in Afghanistan in that it was heavily secured and had no windows. The attack comes as Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai, delays signing a bilateral security agreement reducing the presence of foreign troops until after the country elects his successor this April. Many observers fear the Taliban might step up its attacks in the run up to those elections. This is the second bombing from the Taliban in less than two weeks in the Afghan capitol. Earlier this month, the insurgent group claimed responsibility for an assault on a American military base.