Taliban seizes control of Afghanistan's luxury hotel amid security concerns
- The Taliban have assumed control of the operations of Afghanistan's only luxury hotel, the Serena Hotel, following its closure on February 1, 2025.
- This takeover comes after previous violent attacks by the Taliban on the hotel in 2008 and 2014, leading to multiple fatalities.
- The situation raises concerns regarding the future of tourism in Afghanistan as the Taliban seeks to revive the hotel industry amid ongoing safety threats.
Afghanistan is witnessing a significant shift in its hospitality sector as the Taliban has taken over the management of the Serena Hotel in Kabul, which is the country's only luxury hotel. This transition occurred on February 1, 2025, as the Serena Hotel announced that it would cease its operations. The Hotel State Owned Corporation, managed by the finance ministry, is now responsible for the hotel. The Serena Hotel has a troubled history, having previously been the target of Taliban assaults in 2008 and 2014 that resulted in civilian casualties. Following the 2008 attack, where eight people were killed, the acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani took responsibility for planning the assault, which included the death of U.S. citizen Thor David Hesla. In recent years, the UK Foreign Office has warned that Afghanistan remains