Taliban claims shooting attack at Kabul hotel

The Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant since April 24 when the militant group launched its so-called annual spring offensive in different places of the militancy-plagued Afghanistan which had claimed hundreds of lives including militants, security personnel and civilians.

The Taliban urged civilians to stay away from official gatherings, military convoys and centers regarded as the legitimate targets by militants besides warning people not to support the government.

The Taliban said the Kabul attack was part of their spring offensive which is targeting government officials and their foreign backers.

According to Taliban's claim, the casualties are much higher than the official figures.

On Wednesday morning, three police and two civilians were killed while five police wounded after two gunmen entered a local mosque in Lashkar Gah, capital of southern Helmand province and fired on the nearby government office buildings.

The militant group also claimed responsibility for Helmand shooting.

Nearly 3,700 civilians were killed and more than 6,800 others wounded in conflicts and Taliban-led attacks in 2014, according to official figures released by UN mission in the country.

The officials blamed the attacks of Taliban insurgents and other armed groups for vast majority of the civilian deaths and injuries.