Four U.S. citizens killed in Jan. 20 attack on Kabul hotel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Four U.S. citizens were killed and two injured in Saturday’s attack by the Taliban on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday.

Afghan security guards walk in front of the Intercontinental Hotel after an attack in Kabul, Afghanistan January 23, 2018.REUTERS/Mohammad Ismail

“We can confirm that there were four U.S. citizens killed and two injured. We offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who were killed and wish for the speedy recovery of those wounded,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.

Glenn Selig, a spokesman for Trump campaign adviser Rick Gates, was among the Americans who were killed, CNN reported, citing a statement by Selig’s company, Selig Multimedia. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Selig represented Gates, who has been charged in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election and possible collusion with President Donald Trump’s campaign.

“Glenn was in Kabul on a potential success story involving Afghanistan and its steps to battle extremism. The focus was highlighting the country’s new president and constructing a democracy forum event for Afghani women,” Selig Multimedia said in a statement, according to CNN.

At least 20 people were killed when five gunman dressed in Afghan army uniforms stormed the Kabul hotel on Saturday night. Seven Ukrainians and one German were among the dead.

The Taliban, which attacked the same hotel in 2011, claimed responsibility for the attack, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement.