U.N. staff killed in Taliban attack in Kabul

Taliban militants attacked a private guesthouse in central Kabul on Wednesday morning, killing at least six United Nations staff members and wounding nine more, according to a U.N. spokesman.

At least one American was among the dead, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul said.

There was a very good chance that the casualty toll would rise as the United Nations tried to account for its staff, said spokesman Adrian Edwards. Twenty U.N. staff members were registered to stay at the guesthouse, according to Edwards. It was unknown how many were there at the time of the assault.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying on an insurgent Web site that three militants killed 50 foreigners, who were election organizers. The claim did not include specific details and could not be independently confirmed.

The violence comes 10 days ahead of a presidential runoff election on November 7. Taliban militants have threatened to disturb the polling.

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