09:30 PM News Update
More details have emerged about the explosion in Kabul’s Shahr-e-Naw area. At around 3:00 PM, a blast hit the Chinese Noodle restaurant, a joint Chinese-Afghan eatery located in the Gulforoshi alley.
The restaurant was run by a Chinese Muslim, Abdul Majid, his wife and an Afghan partner, Abdul Jabbar Mahmoud.
Abdul Majid was from China’s Xinjiang region and the restaurant mainly served food to Chinese Muslims. According to initial information, one Chinese national named Ayoub and six Afghan citizens were killed in the explosion while several others were injured.
The blast reportedly occurred near the kitchen area. The exact cause of the explosion is still unknown and authorities say investigations are ongoing.
06:00 PM Several Killed as Explosion Hits Kabul’s Shahr-i-Naw Area, Taliban Interior Ministry Says
A deadly explosion hit a hotel in Kabul’s Shahr-i-Naw area on Monday, killing several people and injuring many others Afghan officials said.
The blast took place on Gulfaroshi Street in one of the most secure and busy parts of the Afghan capital, which is home to foreign residents, offices, shopping centers and embassies.
Taliban Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani told Reuters that, according to early reports, a number of people were killed and wounded in the incident.
He said the authorities would share more details after the investigation moves forward.
Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran confirmed that the explosion happened inside a hotel but did not give any information about the cause.
China’s state media reported that two Chinese citizens were seriously injured in the blast. It also said that one Afghan security guard was killed.
According to the Global Times the explosion took place in a restaurant inside the hotel and the injured were taken to hospital soon after the incident.
The Shahr-i-Naw area is considered one of the safest parts of Kabul which has raised serious concerns about security in the city. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021 and said they would restore peace and stability. However, such attacks have continued in different parts of the country.
Many of these attacks in the past were claimed by the Daesh group, which remains a major security threat in Afghanistan.
Read more: Gul Plaza Fire Death Toll Reaches 21, Dozens Still Missing as Rescue Continues
