喀布尔外国人居住的宾馆发生爆炸

A suicide bomb attack on a hotel compound in Afghanistan's capital ended Monday with the deaths of one policeman and all three attackers.

Kabul's police chief General Abdul Rahman Rahimi said one suicide bomber died when he blew up his explosives-laden truck Monday morning outside the security wall of the Northgate Hotel, just east of the Kabul airport.

The Northgate houses foreign contractors, including Americans.

Police say the explosion was felt throughout Kabul and knocked out power across much of the city.

Rahimi said two other attackers tried to enter the hotel, but police fired on them, forcing them to take shelter in a nearby compound. The attackers were killed in an ensuing battle that lasted for several hours. One police officer was killed and three others wounded in the exchange of fire.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.