Chinese National Killed, Another Wounded As Deadly IED Explosion Rips Chinese Restaurant in Kabul

New Delhi: A deadly IED explosion claimed to be carried out by ISIL (ISIS) ripped through a Chinese noodle restaurant in Kabul’s Shahr-e-Naw area in Afghanistan. At least 7 civilians were killed in central Kabul and lost their lives, while China confirms one of its citizens dead and another seriously injured as the probe begins.

The powerful bomb blast on Tuesday morning killed multiple civilians and wounded scores more near a popular hotel and restaurant. According to reports, the attack occurred at around 10 AM local time and unleashed chaos, while the emergency services scrambled within minutes to treat the injured amid twisted metal and shattered glass.

According to an eyewitness and Kabul resident, Ahmed Khan, who was sipping tea nearby, “There was a deafening boom, then screams everywhere. People were running, blood was on the ground, and it was like the old Taliban days.”

The restaurant that was hit by the blast on Monday is located in the commercial ⁠Chinese Muslim area and is owned by Abdul Majid and his wife in partnership with an Afghan partner, Abdul Jabbar Mahmood, and served the Chinese Muslim community.

Chinese media swiftly confirmed that two Chinese nationals suffered serious injuries in the blast; later, one succumbed to his injuries.

According to a report by Global Times, the victims were likely aid workers or business personnel, underscoring Beijing’s growing concerns over security in Afghanistan. 

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson stated in the media, “We urge Afghan authorities to swiftly investigate and ensure the safety of all foreigners.”

Meanwhile, the Afghan interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani has confirmed the fact that the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED), possibly hidden in a vehicle. 

“No group has claimed responsibility yet, but we are pursuing all leads,” Qani told reporters on Monday.

But on Tuesday morning (today), the Afghan branch of ISIL (ISIS) claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack, saying in a statement that it was carried out by a suicide bomber.

According to ISIL’s Amaq news agency, ISIL has put Chinese citizens on its priority hit list of targets, citing “growing crimes by the Chinese government against Uighurs.”

Also, the rights groups have long accusing Beijing for carrying out rampant abuses on Uighurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority group of about 10 million people who reside within the far western Xinjiang region of China. Beijing denies any ​abuse and has accused Western countries of interference and peddling ‌lies.

The Taliban-led government, which has taken the reigns of power in Afghanistan since 2021, is facing escalating pressure to keep check on such violence, which has been often blamed on rival factions like the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which has staged similar high-profile attacks.

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