The Islamic State (ISIL) claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at the Chinese Noodle restaurant in Kabul’s Shahr-e-Naw district. The attack, which occurred Monday afternoon, killed at least seven people, including one Chinese national identified as Ayub, and six Afghan citizens. The militant group’s Aamaq news agency stated the bombing was a direct retaliation for Beijing’s “crimes” against Uighur Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region, issuing a stark warning that Chinese nationals are now priority targets.
Islamic State group claims responsibility for Kabul blast that killed 7 in Chinese restaurant https://t.co/iiFvuEWf1y pic.twitter.com/iypfqZ96Fc
— New York Post (@nypost) January 20, 2026
The blast occurred near the kitchen of the restaurant, which was a joint venture run by a Chinese Muslim couple and an Afghan partner. Local medical services, including the EMERGENCY surgical center, reported receiving 20 casualties, including four women and a child. While the Taliban’s Interior Ministry spokesperson, Mufti Abdul Mateen Qani, insisted that security is “ensured” throughout the country, this high-profile strike in a heavily guarded commercial zone has sparked fresh fears for foreign investors and diplomats.
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In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun strongly condemned the “terrorist act” and urged the Taliban to spare no effort in treating the wounded and punishing the perpetrators. China has officially advised its citizens to avoid traveling to Afghanistan and urged those currently in the country to evacuate high-risk areas immediately. Despite the absence of formal diplomatic recognition, China remains one of the few nations maintaining a major economic presence in Afghanistan, focusing on mining and infrastructure projects that ISIL now threatens to dismantle.
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