KABUL:
The Taliban government in Afghanistan assumed control of the management of the Serena Hotel in Kabul on Saturday, according to a statement from the hotel. The luxury hotel had been a target of Taliban attacks during their insurgency.
For nearly two decades, the Kabul Serena Hotel was managed by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development and was favored by business travelers and international guests.
In a statement released Friday evening, the hotel announced, “Kabul Serena Hotel will cease operations as of February 1, 2025.”
The hotel’s management is now under the Hotel State-Owned Corporation (HSOC), the statement added.
Since its opening in 2005, the Kabul Serena Hotel has been a key part of Kabul’s social life, serving as an iconic landmark and a symbol of the commitment to Afghanistanโs people, the statement emphasized.
Taliban officials did not respond immediately to requests for comment, and AFP journalists were not permitted to enter the hotel on Saturday morning.
