Kamal Ghorui
Several people were killed and many others injured after a blast ripped through Kabul’s Shahr-e-Naw district on Monday. As per TOLONews Chinese nationals were the target of the attack.The explosion struck a hotel on Gulfaroshi Street, near a Chinese restaurant, in an area that is usually regarded as one of the Afghan capital’s most secure neighbourhoods and is home to many foreigners. Taliban officials confirmed the incident but have not released an official death toll.
According to TOLOnews, Afghan security sources said the attack was directed at Chinese citizens, though no information was provided on how many were affected. The Emergency Hospital in Kabul later said 20 people, including one child and four women, had been transferred to the facility following the blast. Seven of those injured had already died before reaching the hospital. The hospital did not clarify whether any of the casualties were Chinese nationals.Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said an explosion had occurred at a hotel in the fourth district of the city, resulting in casualties. Interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani told Reuters that preliminary reports indicated a number of people had been killed and wounded, without giving further details.Shahr-e-Naw has largely avoided major attacks in recent years, despite a broader pattern of violence across the country. In 2025, Kabul recorded two suicide bombings in separate incidents, including one outside a bank and another targeting a government ministry.While overall violence has declined since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, the Islamic State group continues to pose a serious security threat, carrying out attacks against Taliban officials, foreign interests and civilians across Afghanistan.
