ISIS launches terror attack on Chinese guest house in Afghanistan; 3 killed

Kabul: The Islamic State in Khorasan Province-ISKP launched a terrorist attack in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. Three people were killed and 21 injured in this attack on a guest house frequented by Chinese officials. Chinese nationals are claimed to be among the wounded. Just last week, Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul was targeted by terrorists. Meanwhile, ‘ISIS’, which has been targeting the Taliban and minorities in Afghanistan until now, has sent a different warning message by directly targeting Chinese citizens.

Kabul Longan Hotel is a multi-storied building in the commercial area of Shahr-e-Naw of Kabul, famous as China’s guest house. Chinese diplomats and businessmen arriving in Afghanistan for trade talks stay at this guest house. International media has been claiming that the visits of Chinese officials to this guest house increased over the past year after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan.

However, 24 hours ago, diplomatic officials from the Chinese embassy in Kabul met senior Taliban leaders. The news that China demanded the Taliban increase the security of Chinese officials and employees in Afghanistan went viral on social media. After that, a photograph of a meeting between Chinese officials and the Taliban surfaced. But the details of the assurances given by the Taliban to China have yet to be revealed. China also avoided publicizing the visit.

In such a situation, on Monday, terrorists attacked Kabul Longan Hotel. While the Chinese officials and citizens were in the hotel, the terrorists detonated a huge explosion as they approached the main entrance. After that, it was reported that these terrorists started targeting foreign nationals hiding on the hotel floors. Some media claimed that the 26/11 terrorist attack on Mumbai in 2008 was being repeated in Kabul.

After that, there was talk that seven Chinese citizens and eleven members of the Taliban were killed in the attack on this guest house. But Taliban spokesman Mujahid told Afghan media that all three ISIS terrorists who attacked the Kabul Longan Hotel had been killed. Mujahid also informed that 21 people were injured in this attack. A nearby hospital treating the injured claimed that two Chinese nationals were injured. Since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, ISIS attacks have increased. ISIS has attacked the Hazara minority in Afghanistan and the leaders of the Taliban. The group has also targeted the Taliban’s internal security headquarters. But last week, ISIS terrorists attacked Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul. The Pakistani ambassador narrowly escaped the attack. Not even seven days after that, IS terrorists targeted the Chinese authorities.

Meanwhile, China has been complaining about terrorist attacks on Chinese projects in Pakistan. These terror attacks have stalled the ‘China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’ in Pakistan, and the Chinese government is putting pressure on Pakistan to provide additional security. In such a situation, the attack in Kabul shows that China’s investment in Afghanistan is also under threat.

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