Several people were killed and many others injured after a powerful explosion ripped through Kabul’s upscale Shahr-e-Naw district on Monday, targeting a hotel in an area considered one of the Afghan capital’s most secure neighbourhoods.
According to TOLOnews, Afghan security sources said Chinese nationals were the intended target of the attack. The blast struck a hotel on Gulfaroshi Street, close to a Chinese restaurant, in a locality that is home to many foreigners and diplomatic facilities.
Casualties reported, toll unclear
Taliban officials confirmed the incident but did not release an official death toll. Kabul police spokesperson Khalid Zadran said an explosion occurred at a hotel in the city’s fourth police district, resulting in casualties.
The Emergency Hospital Kabul said 20 people, including one child and four women, were brought to the facility following the blast. Seven of them were declared dead before reaching the hospital. The hospital did not specify whether any of the victims were Chinese nationals.
Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani told Reuters that preliminary reports indicated several people had been killed and wounded, adding that investigations were ongoing.
Rare attack in secure area
Shahr-e-Naw has largely avoided major attacks in recent years, despite periodic violence elsewhere in Kabul. The area is known for its hotels, restaurants, and commercial establishments frequented by foreign nationals.
In 2025, Kabul witnessed two suicide bombings in separate incidents — one outside a bank and another targeting a government ministry. While overall violence has declined since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, militant threats persist.
Ongoing security concerns
The Islamic State Khorasan Province continues to pose a serious security challenge in Afghanistan, carrying out attacks against Taliban officials, foreign interests and civilians. Authorities have heightened security in and around the blast site, and further details are awaited as investigations continue.