Kabul Serena Hotel
Afghanistan’s Taliban government officially assumed management of Kabul’s prestigious Serena Hotel on Saturday, marking a significant transition for the luxury property that had previously been a target of Taliban attacks during their insurgency.
For nearly two decades, the Kabul Serena Hotel was operated by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development. It was a well-known destination in the Afghan capital, particularly favored by business travelers and international visitors.
However, on Friday night, a statement from the hotel announced that it would cease operations starting February 1, 2025. The statement further confirmed that the hotel’s management has been transferred to the Hotel State Owned Corporation (HSOC), an entity under the Taliban government.
“Kabul Serena Hotel has been an integral part of Kabul’s social fabric, an iconic presence in the city, and a symbol of our unwavering commitment to the people of Afghanistan,” the statement read, highlighting the hotel’s longstanding significance.
As of Saturday, the hotel’s official website had been updated to reflect the handover, and Kabul was removed from the Serena brand’s list of destinations.
Despite multiple attempts, neither Taliban government spokesmen nor the Switzerland-based Aga Khan Fund responded to requests for comment from AFP. Journalists were also denied entry to the property on Saturday morning.
The Kabul Serena Hotel has endured a troubled past, having been the target of several deadly attacks before the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
In 2014, just weeks before Afghanistan’s presidential election, four teenage gunmen managed to bypass security with pistols concealed in their socks. They carried out a brutal attack inside the hotel, killing nine people, including an AFP journalist and members of his family.
Another devastating attack occurred in 2008 when a suicide bombing claimed the lives of six people. The attack was later attributed to Sirajuddin Haqqani, who currently serves as the Taliban’s interior minister.
Following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, the security situation in Afghanistan remained uncertain. Both the United States and Britain issued warnings to their citizens, advising them to avoid hotels in the country, specifically singling out the Serena as a potential target.
Despite its violent history, the Taliban authorities have recently sought to promote Afghanistan as a viable tourist destination, emphasizing what they claim to be a return to stability and security.
However, the takeover of Kabul’s most renowned hotel by a Taliban-run corporation signals another shift in Afghanistan’s evolving landscape under Taliban rule.
