KABUL: A day after a deadly explosion struck central Kabul, Chinese state media and police said on Tuesday that one Chinese national was among seven people killed, while two other Chinese citizens were wounded, as authorities released revised details of the attack.
Police spokesman Khalid Zadran said the blast occurred at the Chinese Noodle restaurant, which he said mainly served Chinese Muslims.
“A Chinese Muslim, Ayub, and six Afghans were killed, and several others were wounded. The blast occurred near the kitchen,” Zadran said in a statement, adding that the cause of the explosion was still under investigation.
Zadran had earlier said the blast struck a hotel in the area, before police clarified the location.
The Islamic State armed group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, the SITE Intelligence Group reported, saying it was a suicide attack targeting Chinese nationals.
“The Islamic State in Afghanistan has placed Chinese nationals on its list of targets, especially in light of the escalating crimes committed by the Chinese government against the oppressed Uyghur Muslims,” the IS statement said.
Reacting to the attack, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the bombing and expressed solidarity with the victims and their families. In a statement issued from Islamabad, he said he was deeply saddened by the loss of life and extended condolences to those killed, while wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.
Zardari paid tribute to Chinese citizens working in Afghanistan, saying they continued development efforts despite growing security risks. He said the attack highlighted what he described as the Afghan Taliban’s failure to fully honour commitments under the Doha Peace Agreement, particularly the pledge to prevent Afghan soil from being used for terrorism.
The president said Pakistan has repeatedly warned against militant groups finding safe havens in Afghanistan, adding that insecurity emanating from across the border has also affected other neighbouring countries, including Tajikistan. He stressed that the full implementation of the Doha Agreement and concrete steps to curb cross-border militancy were essential for regional peace and stability.
Italian NGO EMERGENCY said its hospital near the targeted restaurant had received “seven people dead on arrival”, with 13 others admitted to the surgical department.
“Among the wounded are four women and a child,” Dejan Panic, the NGO’s country director, said in a statement.
The owner of a flower shop, requesting anonymity for security reasons, said the blast happened at around 3:30 pm (1100 GMT) at the other end of the street from his business.
He told AFP he heard the “strong sound” of a blast in the crowded area.
“It was an emergency situation. Everybody feared for his own life,” he said.
“I could see at least five wounded.”
Within hours of the blast the street was reopened to traffic, with cars streaming past the restaurant’s covered entrance.
Windows in the building opposite were smashed, according to an AFP photographer.
Taliban officials have vowed to restore security to the country and are courting foreign investors to secure crucial revenue streams as foreign aid funding dries up.
Chinese business visitors have flocked to Afghanistan since the Taliban government took power in 2021 for the second time.
The following year, the Islamic State group claimed a deadly attack on a Kabul hotel popular with Chinese guests.
China, shares a rugged 76-kilometre (47-mile) border with Afghanistan.
