An explosion devastated a Chinese restaurant in the center of the Afghan capital Kabul. Seven people were killed on Monday afternoon, including six Afghans and a Chinese citizen. At least 13 people, including four women and a child, were injured and taken to the hospital run by the Italian aid organization Emergency, their spokesman said. China’s state television CCTV said two Chinese nationals were among the injured.
The Afghan branch of the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS) called Islamic State – Khorassan Province (ISKP) said on the IS news channel al-Amaq that a lone fighter had carried out a suicide attack in the restaurant. It added “Chinese citizens” to its “target list” because of the Chinese government’s “increasing crimes against oppressed Uyghur Muslims.”
In July, the group called online for Uyghurs to join it and destroy China’s “empire of tyranny.” IS is trying to recruit members of armed Uyghur groups who found refuge with the Taliban in Afghanistan, but are prevented by them from cross-border operations so as not to disrupt relations with Beijing.
A spokesman for the Taliban Interior Ministry confirmed that there were deaths and that IS was responsible. However, it is unclear whether the latter is based on more findings than the group’s self-blame. According to eyewitnesses, the closure of the road to investigate the explosion site was lifted after just a few hours.
The site of the attack is a popular area for foreigners
The “Lanzhou Beef Noodles” restaurant is located in the Shahr-e Nau (New Town) district of Kabul. Decades ago it was a meeting place for hippies traveling to India in search of cheap drugs and most recently during the NATO intervention it was a popular shopping mile for visitors from the countries involved. After western deduction 2021 Chinese, Central Asian and Russian businessmen took their place. The restaurant was considered a meeting place for the Chinese, or according to other sources, the Chinese-Muslim community in Kabul.
If it is actually an IS attack, it would be the first that the group has claimed since an attack on the Kabul Ministry of Urban Development and a bank branch in Kunduz in February 2025. IS fighters may also be involved in the attacks on gold prospectors that have occurred repeatedly on both sides of the border with Tajikistan since at least 2023.
In both countries, companies with Chinese participation and some Chinese personnel are involved in gold mining. Five Chinese were killed in two such attacks in November. A drone is even said to have been used in an attack in Tajikistan.
However, terrorism experts point out that IS did not claim responsibility for any of these actions. In addition, conflicts continue to arise in both countries between local populations, local interest groups associated with both governments and companies. This is about control over gold extraction. In addition, the technology used leads to diversion of river water, which changes the course of the flow and thus the bank and even the border.
Questions remain about authorship
The Afghan branch of IS called Islamic State – Khorassan Province (ISKP) had recently moved its activities to Pakistan, but also targeted Chinese targets there. In Afghanistan, he last attacked a Kabul hotel popular with Chinese businessmen in December 2022 Chinese diplomats in front of the Foreign Ministry in January 2023 to. Beijing recently called on the Taliban again to do more for the security of its compatriots in Afghanistan.
The fact that the Chinese man now killed in Kabul was a Uyghur and that the restaurant is run by Chinese Muslims raises questions. That doesn’t actually fit the IS goal scheme. However, the small Uyghur community that has lived in Kabul for decades stays away from IS for fear of deportations.