An explosion occurred at a Chinese-operated restaurant within a hotel in a highly secured area of Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, resulting in the tragic deaths of a Chinese national and six Afghans, with multiple others, including a child, sustaining injuries. The incident took place in the bustling Shahr-e-Naw district, known for its mix of office buildings, shopping centers, and diplomatic missions, as confirmed by police spokesperson Khalid Zadran. Despite its reputation for safety, the Islamic State’s Afghan branch claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it was carried out by a suicide bomber.
The restaurant, managed by a Chinese Muslim, Abdul Majid, alongside his wife and an Afghan partner, Abdul Jabbar Mahmood, catered to the Chinese Muslim community, according to Zadran. The Amaq news agency reported that the local faction of the Islamic State had placed Chinese nationals on its target list, citing alleged mistreatment of Uyghurs by the Chinese government.
Tragically, the blast claimed the lives of one Chinese citizen, identified as Ayub, and six Afghan individuals near the kitchen area, with several others sustaining injuries, Zadran disclosed. Footage shared on social media captured debris strewn across the street and smoke billowing from a significant breach in the restaurant’s front facade.
Dejan Panic, country director of the humanitarian organization EMERGENCY in Afghanistan, reported receiving 20 individuals at their hospital, including four women and a child, with seven fatalities upon arrival. While Afghan officials refrained from confirming the cause of the explosion pending investigations, the president of neighboring Pakistan attributed it to a bomb blast.
Despite the Taliban assuming power in war-ravaged Afghanistan in 2021 with promises of enhanced security, the country continues to witness bomb attacks, many of which are claimed by the local faction of the militant Islamic State group.