A suicide blast at a Chinese restaurant in Kabul killed seven, wounded over a dozen. Islamic State claims responsibility, citing targeting of Chinese nationals.
KABUL: An explosion at a Chinese restaurant in central Kabul on Monday killed at least seven people and wounded more than a dozen others.
The blast occurred at the Chinese Noodle restaurant in the Shahr-e-Naw area, a street known for its flower sellers.
Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said the victims included a Chinese Muslim and six Afghans.
“The blast occurred near the kitchen,” Zadran stated, noting the cause was under investigation.
The Islamic State armed group claimed responsibility for what it called a suicide attack targeting Chinese nationals.
It cited China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims as motivation for placing Chinese nationals on its target list.
Italian NGO EMERGENCY said its nearby hospital received seven dead on arrival and admitted 13 wounded.
“Among the wounded are four women and a child,” said the NGO’s country director, Dejan Panic.
A local flower shop owner described hearing a “strong sound” of a blast in the crowded area around 3:30 pm local time.
“It was an emergency situation. Everybody feared for his own life,” the anonymous shopkeeper told AFP.
He reported seeing at least five wounded people at the scene.
The street was reopened to traffic within hours, with cars passing the restaurant’s covered entrance.
Windows in a building opposite the restaurant were smashed by the force of the explosion.
Chinese business visitors have increased in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Islamic State claimed a deadly attack on a Kabul hotel popular with Chinese guests in 2022.
