Kabul siege ends after Afghan soldiers storm tower block Nato commanders praised the performance of the Afghan units they have trained during the fighting. However while witnesses said they operated bravely and professionally, questions remained about how the Taliban had been able to launch such a well-coordinated attack and evade security in the most fortified area of the city. Seddiq Seddiqui, spokesman for the ministry of interior, said: "It's too early to comment on intelligence failures. Our answer is that the Taliban were beaten hard, we controlled the damage and if they even dream of doing this again, they will face the same consequences. Afghan officials left the dead attackers, covered in brick dust and blood, sprawled on the concrete staircases where they had been shot, as they showed journalists around the eight storey building. The attackers all appeared in their late teens and early twenties and wore local dress. Fighting in the west of the city, close to the Afghan parliament, finished at around the same time. Up to 40 civilians were taken hostage during that fighting, but were released during Sunday night. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying they proved the movement could strike whenever or wherever it chose. Afghan officials said they suspected the Haqqani Network faction, which has a history of launching spectacular attacks in the capital and was blamed for a similar assault on the American embassy seven months ago. The attack was the biggest coordinated assault on the capital in ten years of the Nato-led intervention and came a week after the coalition had cast doubt on the insurgents ability to launch another spring offensive. Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, interior minister, said: "The terrorists tried to harm the process of transferring security to the Afghan forces, but they are not able to do it." They want to create fear among the people.