News Story

Mourners gathered Tuesday for the funeral of a Chinese man killed in a restaurant bombing in central Kabul, where Afghans were picking up the pieces of their shattered shops.

The explosion ripped through a Chinese restaurant in the Shahr-e-Naw district on Monday, killing six Afghans and wounding more than a dozen people.

The shrouded body of the Chinese victim was placed in the grounds of the Wazir Akbar Khan Mosque, where AFP journalists saw dozens of men offering prayers.

The blast was claimed by the regional branch of the Islamic State group, the SITE Intelligence Group reported, saying it was a suicide attack against Chinese nationals.

The first such attack to hit the Afghan capital in nearly a year has prompted Beijing to demand the Taliban government "further take effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens".

A florist on the street that was targeted said the restaurant was run by Chinese Muslims and had been there for two years.

"They had come here for business; they were good people," said Mohammadullah, 45, who gave only his first name for security reasons.

"The restaurant was open for everyone; for locals and foreigners, everyone. The blast happened there, and we were also affected," he told AFP.

Windows were shattered and shrapnel marks were visible on a building opposite the restaurant, as people went about clearing up a day after the bombing.

Yama Ahmadi, who sells flowers and gift boxes, said his employee was "very scared" by the blast.

"I received a call and came here panicking and saw that the condition of the whole shop is bad," said the 22-year-old.

Inside the bombed restaurant, AFP journalists saw blood on the charred walls. The door of a blue fridge hung open, with soft drink cans on their side.

Five Chinese nationals were also among the wounded, Beijing said, warning its citizens against travelling to Afghanistan.

"Chinese citizens and enterprises already in Afghanistan should enhance their awareness of prevention, strengthen security measures and evacuate high-risk areas as soon as possible," foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a news conference.

China, which shares a rugged 76-kilometre (47-mile) border with Afghanistan, has close ties with the Afghan government.

Taliban officials have vowed to restore security and are courting foreign investors to secure crucial revenue streams as foreign aid funding dries up.

Chinese business visitors have flocked to the country since the Taliban government took power in 2021 for the second time.

The following year, the Islamic State group claimed a deadly attack on a Kabul hotel popular with Chinese guests.

There have been sporadic attacks in the capital since then, with the militant group claiming responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing in February 2025 targeting a government ministry.