Islamic State Behind Kabul Attack That Claimed 6 Victims, Including 2 Chinese Nationals: Sources

Last Updated:January 19, 2026, 20:40 IST

ISIS attacked Kabul killing six people including two Chinese nationals; sources suggest the terror group harbors animosity towards Beijing.

The site of a blast in central Kabul that killed several people, including Chinese nationals. (IMAGE: TOLONews/X)

An attack by the Islamic State’s Khorasan affiliate (ISIS-K) on a Chinese restaurant in Kabul killed at least six people, including two Chinese nationals, sources familiar with the matter said on Monday. No group has formally claimed responsibility for the blast so far.

According to sources close to the Taliban, the attack was carried out by ISIS-K as part of a deliberate campaign targeting Chinese interests in Afghanistan.

The sources said the militant group views China’s growing engagement with the Taliban-led government as a threat to its ideological and strategic objectives.

Earlier, Afghan officials said several people were killed or injured in a blast at a hotel in a heavily guarded part of central Kabul.

“According to preliminary reports, a number of people were killed and injured," Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani told Reuters.

Kabul police spokesperson Khalid Zadran said the blast targeted a hotel in the commercial Shahr-e-Naw neighbourhood, an area that houses large office buildings, shopping complexes and embassies and is considered one of the safest parts of the Afghan capital.

An Italian NGO, EMERGENCY, which runs a hospital in Kabul, said at least seven people were dead on arrival after the explosion, while around 20 injured were brought to its surgical centre, according to AFP.

Sources said ISIS-K opposes China’s presence in Afghanistan, arguing that Beijing’s diplomatic recognition, economic engagement and investment commitments strengthen the Taliban regime. The group considers the Taliban an “apostate nationalist authority" that prioritises state control over what ISIS-K sees as a global jihadist project.

According to the sources, ISIS-K’s Salafi-jihadi ideology categorises China as a non-believing communist power and its propaganda frequently cites Beijing’s policies in Xinjiang as justification for violence against Chinese nationals and interests.

The group is also believed to be seeking to recruit Central Asian and Uyghur fighters by portraying itself as an alternative ideological and operational sanctuary.

The Taliban returned to power in 2021 after the withdrawal of US-led forces, pledging to restore security across the country. However, attacks have continued since then, many of them claimed by ISIS-K, which has repeatedly targeted foreign interests and Taliban officials.

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