At least six suicide bombers and gunmen stormed a luxury hotel in the Afghan capital, Kabul, late Tuesday and early reports indicate that 10 people have been killed.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on the Intercontinental Hotel. Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the group was targeting foreign guests, and that the attackers killed or wounded at least 50 people. However, the Taliban often exaggerates the number of casualties in attacks against Western and Afghan government targets.

The head of the Kabul police crime unit, Mohammad Zahir, said several police officers were wounded in the fighting, while witnesses reported at least three loud explosions and gunfire inside and outside the hotel.

Interior Ministry spokesman Sidiq Sidiqqi said all the suicide bombers either blew themselves up or were killed while two Taliban insurgents continued to fire from the roof early Wednesday.

Police blocked off streets leading to the hotel, situated on a hill overlooking the Afghan capital and said the entire area was in darkness. Shortly afterwards, an Afghan National Army commando unit arrived at the scene.

The attack occurred on the eve of a conference about the gradual transition of civil and military responsibility from foreign forces to Afghans.

In other violence Tuesday, NATO said three of its service members died in separate insurgent and bomb attacks in southern Afghanistan.

Also in the south, authorities said a roadside bomb killed two women and wounded a child in the Panjwai district of Kandahar province.