China has recommended its citizens refrain from traveling to Afghanistan

On January 19, an explosion occurred in Kabul. A suicide bomber, wearing an explosive vest, entered a Chinese restaurant in Kabul and detonated the explosive device.

The terrorist group ISIS-Khorasan claimed responsibility for this attack in the Afghan capital. As a result of the attack, 7 people were killed, and several others were injured.

In the wake of the deadly explosion, China on Tuesday advised its citizens to refrain from traveling to Afghanistan and urged Chinese nationals and companies already in the country to enhance security measures and evacuate from high-risk areas.

Officials in Beijing stated that the security situation in Afghanistan remains extremely challenging, and the recent attack has resulted in “significant losses.”

The Chinese embassy recommended that its citizens avoid crowded places, including hotels, religious sites, and large markets, and to continuously monitor the security level in their residences and during travels.

At a regular briefing of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 20, 2026, the official spokesperson, Guo Jiaqun, expressed deep condolences for the loss of life and sincere sympathy for the victims.

He noted that China urgently sent relevant representations to the Afghan authorities and called on them to make every effort to rescue and treat the injured, enhance security measures for Chinese citizens, Chinese projects, and institutions, thoroughly investigate the incident, and hold those responsible accountable as soon as possible. According to him, staff from the Chinese embassy in Kabul have already visited the injured in the hospital.

The official representative of the Afghan Ministry of Interior confirmed that Mufti Abdul Matin Kani stated on Tuesday that the cause of the explosion at the Chinese noodle restaurant, located in the commercial area of Shahr-e-Naw, “is currently unknown and is being investigated.”

According to the Taliban, one Chinese citizen named Ayub was killed in the explosion. The restaurant, catering to the Chinese Muslim community, was jointly managed by Chinese Muslim Abdul Majid and his Afghan partner.

In its statement, ISIS-Khorasan reported that the group targeted Chinese citizens due to “the crimes of the Chinese government against the Uyghurs.”

It should be noted that since early December, there have been three armed attacks from Afghan territory on the Darwaz district and the Shamsiddin Shohin district. As a result of these attacks, ten Chinese citizens were killed, and several others were injured.