KIEV, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- At least seven Ukrainian citizens were among those killed in a terrorist attack in the Intercontinental Hotel in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, local media reported Monday, citing a Ukrainian ambassador.
Viktor Nikityuk, Ukraine's ambassador to Tajikistan and Afghanistan, told the local "112-Ukraine" TV channel by phone that all the Ukrainian victims had worked for the Afghan airline Kam Air.
At least 18 people were killed in the deadly attack, including 14 foreign nationals. The five attackers were also killed during the gunfight with Afghan security forces.
A 12-hour siege followed Saturday night's attack that ended on Sunday. The Ukrainian diplomats in Afghanistan are working to bring back the bodies of the killed Ukrainians to the homeland, Nikityuk said.
Kam Air airline said earlier that 11 of its foreign staff were killed in a hotel attack. A Taliban militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
