The Taliban takes over Afghanistan’s only luxury hotel, more than a decade after attacking it

The Taliban takes over the operation of Afghanistan’s only luxury hotel in Kabul, more than a decade after they launched a deadly attack there It killed nine people.

The Serena Hotel Said Friday that it closed its activities in the Afghan capital on February 1st, when Hotel State -owned company took over. The company is monitored by the Ministry of Finance.

The Ministry of Finance was not immediately available for comment. Neither Serena nor the government clarified the conditions under which the hotel changed hands.

Taliban first targeted Serena In 2008 And again in 2014. Acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani recognized the planning of the 2008 attack, which killed eight, including American citizen Thor David Hesla.

A statement from Serena, a brand owned by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, said it had trained thousands of Afghan citizens, hosted a large number of foreign guests and delegations and put high international benchmarks in the freedom of hospitality.

It asked people to direct their queries to Hotel State -owned companies. Kabul no longer appears as a destination on the Serena website.

According to information about the Ministry of Finance’s website, the company’s mission is to revive and develop Afghanistan’s hotel industry. It runs three other hotels in Afghanistan, two in Kabul and one in the eastern city of Nangarhar.

Tourism Official Mohammad Saeed Told Associated Press last year he wanted Afghanistan to become a tourist power center.

At that time, in a sign, the country was preparing for several overseas visitors, Serena reopened her women’s spa and Salon For foreign women after a month -long closure, only to close them again under pressure from the authorities.

The Taliban has blocked women from gyms, public spaces including parks and education. Last year they ordered The closure of beauty salonsApparently because they offered services prohibited by Islam.