Chinese national killed in Afghanistan, ISIS claims responsibility

The Chinese national was reportedly travelling without notifying local security authorities.

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A Chinese mine worker was killed in a targeted attack in northern Afghanistan on Tuesday evening, with the Islamic State (ISIS) claiming responsibility for the assault. The attack occurred in Takhar province, near the Tajikistan border, when the victim was traveling with a translator.

Provincial police spokesman Mohammad Akbar Haqqani confirmed that the worker was shot dead by “unknown armed men.” The translator, who was accompanying the victim, was unharmed.

The Chinese national, who was involved in a mining project in Afghanistan, was reportedly traveling without notifying local security authorities, which is a standard procedure for foreign nationals in the country.

Police said the purpose of the trip remains unclear. ISIS’s regional affiliate later claimed responsibility for the killing.

According to jihadist monitor SITE, the group issued a statement asserting that its fighters targeted a vehicle carrying a "communist Chinese" in Takhar.

The attack follows a pattern of violence carried out by ISIS in Afghanistan, with the group maintaining an active presence in the region, especially since 2022.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Interior confirmed the details of the killing, stating that the victim was a business owner involved in a contract for mining in the country although the Chinese Embassy in Kabul has not yet commented on the incident.

The attack raises concerns over the safety of foreign nationals in Afghanistan, especially amid the Taliban’s efforts to attract foreign investment, particularly from China, to tap into the country’s rich, largely untapped natural resources.

These resources, including vast mineral deposits, have been highlighted by the Taliban as key to Afghanistan's economic recovery.

On Tuesday, Afghan and Chinese officials marked 70 years of diplomatic ties in Kabul.

During the event, Deputy Foreign Minister Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai assured Chinese business representatives that Afghanistan was now a peaceful and secure destination for investment, despite ongoing security challenges in certain regions.

While the Taliban claims that security has drastically improved since their takeover in 2021, attacks by ISIS on civilians, security forces, and foreigners continue to occur.

In 2022, at least five Chinese nationals were wounded in an ISIS attack on a Kabul hotel frequented by Chinese business people.