The site of a gun battle in June, Kabul Intercontinental Hotel is undergoing a facelift and is said to be secure.

Al Jazeera has learnt that the men who attacked the hotel made phone calls to Badruddin Haqqani, their Pakistani-based commander.

He is the deputy leader of the Haqqani network, which is a close ally of al-Qaeda.

As Al Jazeera's Bernard Smith reports from Kabul, it now remains to be seen if the "high standards" of security in Afghanistan can ward off determined attackers.