Afghanistan: 7 killed, several injured in Kabul blast targeting Chinese nationals

Seven people were killed and many others injured after a blast struck Kabul’s Shahr-e-Naw district on Monday. According to TOLOnews, the attack appeared to target Chinese nationals.

The explosion hit a hotel on Gulfaroshi Street, near a Chinese restaurant, in an area generally regarded as one of Kabul’s most secure neighbourhoods and home to many foreign residents. Taliban officials confirmed the incident but have not released an official death toll.

ISIS-K suspected in targeted attack

Sources familiar with the matter told TOLOnews that the blast, which killed at least six people including two Chinese nationals, was carried out by the Islamic State’s Khorasan affiliate (ISIS-K). No group has formally claimed responsibility for the attack so far. Taliban sources said the strike was part of a deliberate campaign by ISIS-K targeting Chinese interests in Afghanistan.

Afghan security sources said Chinese citizens were the intended targets, though the exact number affected remains unknown. The Emergency Hospital in Kabul reported that 20 people, including one child and four women, were admitted following the explosion. Seven of the injured had already died before reaching the hospital. It is still unclear whether any of the casualties were Chinese nationals.

Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani told Reuters that preliminary reports indicated multiple casualties, including both fatalities and injuries. “According to preliminary reports, a number of people were killed and injured,” he said, adding that further details would be released once confirmed.

Blast hits high-security area

According to local reports, the explosion occurred outside a Chinese restaurant in Shahr-e-Naw, a neighbourhood that houses foreign residents and diplomatic facilities. The area is generally considered one of the most secure parts of the Afghan capital.

Attacks less frequent, but threat remains

Blasts in Kabul and elsewhere in Afghanistan have become less frequent since the Taliban returned to power following the US withdrawal in 2021. However, affiliates of the Islamic State (IS) continue to carry out sporadic attacks across the country.

Deadly incidents in 2025

Afghanistan witnessed two suicide attacks in 2025. In February, one person was killed and at least three others were injured when an attacker tried to enter the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing in Kabul. In the same week, five people were killed after a suicide bomber detonated explosives outside a bank in northeastern Afghanistan.

Ongoing security challenge

Although overall violence has declined since 2021, the Islamic State remains a persistent security threat. The group has previously targeted Taliban officials, foreign diplomats and civilians, undermining claims by the authorities that security has been fully restored.