#Kabul

A suicide bomber blew himself up near a Shi’ite shrine in Kabul on Wednesday, killing at least 29 people and wounding dozens, officials said, as the Afghan capital celebrated the Nawruz holiday marking the start of the Persian new year.

Gunmen dressed in army uniforms who stormed Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel battled Afghan Special Forces for 13 hours in an overnight siege that caused heavy casualties among hotel guests, officials and witnesses said on Sunday.