NEWS
An IED blast in front of a restaurant in Kabul, Chinese citizens, killed at least 7 people; who is responsible?
IED Blast in Kabul: At least seven people have been killed and several others seriously injured in an IED blast in the Shahr-e-Naw area of Kabul.
Kabul blast causes panic in the area
A powerful explosion rocked a Chinese restaurant in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, on Monday (January 19, 2026). The blast targeted a vehicle carrying Chinese citizens, killing at least seven people. Rival factions within the Taliban are suspected of being behind the attack.
Reuters, citing officials, reported that several people were killed and several others seriously injured in the blast, which occurred near a hotel in a heavily guarded part of central Kabul.
The Taliban government issued a statement regarding the blast
Meanwhile, the Taliban government in Afghanistan has issued an official statement regarding the blast. The Afghan Interior Ministry said on Monday (January 19, 2026) that several people were killed and some were injured in the explosion in the Shahr-e-Naw area of Kabul.
"A massive explosion occurred at a hotel on Gulfaroshi Street in Shahr-e-Naw, the fourth district of Kabul city. The blast caused several casualties," Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said.
Attack in the safest area of Kabul
It is noteworthy that the Shahr-e-Naw area is considered the safest area of the Afghan capital, Kabul, where many foreign nationals live. An attack in this area poses a significant challenge to the Taliban government.
The first suicide attack in Kabul has been carried out.
Two suicide bombings have occurred in the Afghan capital, Kabul, in 2025. The first suicide attack occurred in February 2025, when an attacker attempted to forcibly enter the Afghan Ministry of Urban Development and Housing. One person was killed, and three others were injured. The second suicide attack occurred that same week outside a bank in northeastern Afghanistan, killing five people.
