Four of the gunmen were killed in the operation in which the forces freed some 160 hostages held inside for 12 hours, the interior ministry said.

The twitter handle of the ministry and its website said four terrorists were killed while five civilians, including a foreign woman, died in the attack.

Among the rescued hostages, about 41 were foreigners. The hotel is known for hosting high profile guests.

No group has claimed responsibility so far for the attack. But the Afghan Interior Ministry said the attackers were Haqqani militants. 

According to intelligence findings, the attack was designed and organized by Haqqani's terrorist network, whose safe havens are outside of Afghanistan, the ministry said.

The terrorists attacked Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul at about 21:00 local time when the assailants fired at the security guards and hurled grenades to take control of the six-storey building.

Local Khaama Press quoted the Ministry of Interior spokesman Najib Danish saying that five people died so far while six others have been wounded. Later a report in Afghan media said ten were injured while BBC put the death toll of civilians at six.

The eyewitnesses in the area told Khaama Press that a section of the hotel has also caught fire.

Several people were killed in a similar attack on Intercontinental Hotel in 2011.

Image: Khaama Press Screengrab