Explosion at Kabul Eatery Results in Multiple Fatalities
A devastating explosion that occurred in a restaurant in the heart of Kabul has resulted in the loss of at least seven lives and injured many more. Although the cause of the explosion is yet to be officially confirmed, it is believed to have been a bomb attack.
The explosion took place in a restaurant in the Shahr-e-Naw district of Kabul. The restaurant, co-owned by an Afghan local, a Chinese man, and his wife, was well-liked by Chinese Muslims. The blast tragically took the lives of one Chinese individual and six Afghan locals, leaving others injured. The explosion seems to have originated from the kitchen area, but this is still being investigated.
Emergency Response and Injuries
An Italian charity that operates a surgical unit in the city reported that they had received 20 victims from the incident including seven who were unfortunately already deceased. The number of casualties is still being updated. Among the injured were four women and a child.
The director of the charity organization in Afghanistan shared that those wounded had suffered from cuts and bruises and some were currently being evaluated for possible surgeries. A popular Chinese broadcaster reported that two Chinese citizens were critically injured and a security officer lost his life in the explosion.
Local Reactions and International Tensions
Locals were seen in a state of panic and fear in video footage captured through a car windshield, showing people running away from the explosion site with smoke and dust rising in the background. The president of neighboring Pakistan strongly condemned the bomb blast at the Kabul restaurant in a public statement.
Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have been strained recently, even escalating into violent clashes a few months ago. The conflict resulted in significant casualties before a ceasefire was negotiated by Qatar. However, the Pakistani president has accused Afghanistan's Taliban government of failing to uphold the ceasefire agreements, emphasizing that Afghanistan should not provide a safe haven for terrorist groups.
Afghan officials have consistently stated that they do not permit their territory to be used as a base for terrorist activities. The Pakistani president also noted that "terrorists operating out of Afghan soil" had impacted other neighboring countries, specifically Tajikistan. This statement was made following an incident where Tajik border guards reportedly killed four individuals who had crossed from Afghanistan. Afghan authorities identified these individuals as drug traffickers.