KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – China, the United Kingdom, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iran, and Pakistan have condemned the ISKP-claimed suicide attack in Kabul on Monday that killed at least seven people, including a Chinese national, and wounded 13 others.
The explosion occurred around 3:00 pm local time at a Chinese-run restaurant inside a hotel in Kabul’s Shahr-e-Naw, a relatively secure commercial area. Taliban authorities said seven people were killed and 13 wounded. A Chinese man, identified as a co-owner of the restaurant, was among the dead, while five other Chinese nationals were injured.
Hours later, Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), the Afghanistan branch of Islamic State, claimed the attack via its Aamaq news agency. The group said a suicide bomber targeted Chinese nationals, citing alleged crimes by the Chinese government against Uyghurs, and issued further threats against Chinese citizens in Afghanistan.
China’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the attack on Tuesday and urged the Taliban to identify and punish those responsible. Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing “strongly condemns and firmly opposes any form of terrorism” and supports international efforts against violent extremism.
China also advised its citizens against travel to Afghanistan and called on those already there, along with companies, to enhance security and evacuate high-risk areas.
Britain’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Richard Lindsay, condemned the attack in a post on X, saying the United Kingdom stands with the people of Afghanistan.
Turkey’s embassy in Kabul offered condolences to the victims’ families and wished the injured a quick recovery. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei condemned the blast, expressed condolences, and voiced solidarity with Afghanistan and China.
The UAE and Qatar’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs also denounced the attack, calling it a criminal act and reaffirming their opposition to violence, extremism, and terrorism.
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the attack and criticized the Taliban for allowing militant groups to operate from Afghan territory. In a statement, he said the Taliban had failed to meet commitments under the Doha agreement to prevent the use of Afghan soil for terrorism.
The attack was also condemned by the armed anti-Taliban group Afghanistan Freedom Front and Afghan political figures, including former president Hamid Karzai and former High Council for National Reconciliation chairman Abdullah Abdullah.
