Explosion Rips Through Restaurant in Kabul's Shahr-e-Naw Neighborhood, Claiming Seven Lives
A devastating blast ripped through a Chinese-run restaurant in a heavily guarded part of Afghanistan's capital city, Kabul, on Monday, claiming the lives of seven people, including one Chinese national and six Afghans. The explosion occurred near the kitchen of the restaurant, which was jointly run by a Chinese Muslim, his wife, and an Afghan partner.
The blast happened in the commercial Shahr-e-Naw neighborhood, considered one of the safest areas in Kabul, and served as a stark contrast to the city's reputation for insecurity. The area is home to office buildings, shopping complexes, and embassies, with many foreign nationals residing and working there.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing debris scattered on the street outside the restaurant building, while smoke billowed from a large hole torn into its front. Videos shared on social media showed the extent of the damage, with many expressing shock at the violence in an area often perceived as secure.
The Afghan branch of ISIL (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it was carried out by a suicide bomber. The group had also put Chinese citizens on its list of targets, citing "growing crimes by the Chinese government against Uighurs."
Rights groups have long accused Beijing of widespread abuses against Uighurs, an ethnic minority group living in China's far western Xinjiang region. Beijing denies these allegations and accuses Western countries of interference and peddling lies.
The Italian NGO Emergency reported that a medical facility it oversees in Kabul had received 20 people from the blast, with seven fatalities upon arrival. Four women and a child among those injured, according to the organization.
Monday's attack marks one of the few instances of violence in Kabul since the Taliban returned to power following the United States withdrawal in 2021. Despite this, ISIL affiliates continue to carry out sporadic attacks across the country.
A devastating blast ripped through a Chinese-run restaurant in a heavily guarded part of Afghanistan's capital city, Kabul, on Monday, claiming the lives of seven people, including one Chinese national and six Afghans. The explosion occurred near the kitchen of the restaurant, which was jointly run by a Chinese Muslim, his wife, and an Afghan partner.
The blast happened in the commercial Shahr-e-Naw neighborhood, considered one of the safest areas in Kabul, and served as a stark contrast to the city's reputation for insecurity. The area is home to office buildings, shopping complexes, and embassies, with many foreign nationals residing and working there.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing debris scattered on the street outside the restaurant building, while smoke billowed from a large hole torn into its front. Videos shared on social media showed the extent of the damage, with many expressing shock at the violence in an area often perceived as secure.
The Afghan branch of ISIL (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it was carried out by a suicide bomber. The group had also put Chinese citizens on its list of targets, citing "growing crimes by the Chinese government against Uighurs."
Rights groups have long accused Beijing of widespread abuses against Uighurs, an ethnic minority group living in China's far western Xinjiang region. Beijing denies these allegations and accuses Western countries of interference and peddling lies.
The Italian NGO Emergency reported that a medical facility it oversees in Kabul had received 20 people from the blast, with seven fatalities upon arrival. Four women and a child among those injured, according to the organization.
Monday's attack marks one of the few instances of violence in Kabul since the Taliban returned to power following the United States withdrawal in 2021. Despite this, ISIL affiliates continue to carry out sporadic attacks across the country.
just saw that crazy news about the explosion in a restaurant in Kabul 
can't believe how quickly things have changed in that part of the world, remember when the US was there & it was super safe 
now it's like you never know what's gonna happen 
hope everyone who got hurt recovers soon 
ugh this is so sad 4 those who lost loved ones 
can we pls have a real conversation about this instead of just blaming the other guy? 
. I mean, who needs security measures when you've got a good neighborhood like Shahr-e-Naw? Its not like the Afghan branch of ISIS is going to target just anyone or anything. And let's be real, a "safety" rating for an area doesn't necessarily mean its completely secure. Maybe the Chinese government is doing everything right by pushing back against Western accusations and labeling them as "lies". I'm all about giving Beijing a hard time when it comes to Uighurs.
it's crazy how some places arent safe anymore even with all the security measures 
its like terrorism is always lurking around the corner 
and now the afghan branch of islamic state claims responsibility for this heinous act 
meanwhile, the situation is slowly spiraling out of control in that region and I'm not sure if anyone's doing enough to prevent these kinds of attacks 
. I mean, we've heard all these allegations about human rights abuses, but it's always hard to separate fact from fiction... what do you guys think? Shouldn't there be more scrutiny on that kind of thing? 
Just heard about this explosion in Shahr-e-Naw and it's really devastating... you'd think a safe area like that wouldn't be hit by something like this. 
it's like, what's next? are they gonna attack schools or hospitals too? 
my heart goes out to the families of the victims 
meanwhile, italian NGO emergency is helping out the victims... good on them 
just when you think things can't get any worse... another senseless attack on innocent people. what's going on in that world? first it was uighurs in china, now afghans in kabul... is this some kinda twisted game of global chaos? i'm just so tired of all the suffering and loss of life. 
THE FACT THAT ISIS CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY AND MENTIONED CHINA AS THEIR TARGET IS SUPER CONCERNING I HOP BEIJING WILL LOOK INTO THIS AND TAKE ACTION