Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a deadly blast that hit a Chinese-run restaurant inside a hotel in Kabul, according to a statement cited in reporting. Afghan officials said the explosion killed one Chinese national and six Afghans, and injured several others, including a child.
However, another report said no group had claimed responsibility for the blast as authorities investigated what caused it. The differing accounts reflect uncertainty that remained as officials assessed what happened and who was behind the attack.
What happened in Kabul
The explosion tore through a Chinese-run restaurant located in a hotel in Kabul, in what officials described as a heavily guarded part of the Afghan capital. Police spokesperson Khalid Zadran said the restaurant was in Shahr-e-Naw, a commercial neighbourhood that includes office buildings, shopping complexes and embassies, and is considered one of the safest districts in the city.
Zadran said one Chinese national, identified as Ayub, and six Afghans were killed in the blast, which he said occurred near the kitchen. He added that several others were injured.
Videos shared on social media showed debris scattered outside the site and smoke coming from a large hole torn into the front of the restaurant building, according to published reports. Authorities said they were investigating, and there was no immediate word on the cause of the explosion in early official comments.
Claims and conflicting reports
Islamic State’s Afghan branch claimed responsibility for the attack, saying in a statement that it was carried out by a suicide bomber. Separately, another report stated that no group had claimed responsibility for the blast.
Amaq, a news agency linked to Islamic State, said the group’s local arm had put Chinese citizens on its list of targets, citing what it called “growing crimes by the Chinese government against Uighurs.” The same reporting noted that rights groups have accused Beijing of widespread abuses of Uighurs in Xinjiang, while Beijing has denied abuse and accused Western countries of spreading lies and interfering.
Casualties and hospital response
Dejan Panic, the country director in Afghanistan for the humanitarian group EMERGENCY, said in a statement that the hospital had received 20 people. Panic said the wounded included four women and a child, and that seven people were already dead on arrival.
Officials also said the blast killed one Chinese national and six Afghans, matching the death toll described by Zadran. The reports described additional injuries but did not provide a final, confirmed total for the number of wounded.
The restaurant and the wider security picture
Zadran said the Chinese noodle restaurant was jointly run by a Chinese Muslim man, Abdul Majid, his wife, and an Afghan partner, Abdul Jabbar Mahmood, and served the Chinese Muslim community. The blast struck a part of Kabul that officials described as heavily guarded, adding to public concern about security even in areas considered relatively safe.
Reporting also noted that the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021 and said it would restore security, but attacks have continued, with many claimed by Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP), Islamic State’s local affiliate. The same report cited earlier attacks in Kabul that were later claimed by ISKP, including an incident outside the Foreign Ministry in January 2023 and a separate blast at a Kabul sports club in October 2023.
Another incident mentioned in reporting was a December 2024 suicide bombing outside the Refugee Ministry that killed minister Khalil Haqqani and six others as he was leaving his offices, which the report said was also claimed by ISKP. Officials have not publicly detailed what security changes, if any, would follow the latest blast as the investigation continues.
