An explosion occurred in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan on January 19, 2026, near a Chinese-Afghan joint restaurant, killing seven people, including one Chinese citizen, and injuring several others. Photo: IC

As an explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan, reportedly killed one Chinese citizen and seriously injured another on Monday afternoon, the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan told the Global Times on Tuesday that no further confirmed information is available yet and the case is still under verification, adding that it is urging the Afghan side to conduct a prompt investigation while assisting the injured Chinese nationals in receiving medical treatment.

The explosion occurred in the Shahr-e-Naw area of downtown Kabul, causing multiple civilian casualties. At least 20 people, including women and children, were taken to EMERGENCY's Surgical Center in Kabul following the explosion, with seven declared dead on arrival, the humanitarian organization said, according to Xinhua. 

After the explosion, police immediately secured the site for cleanup and evidence collection, with partial access restored only in the evening. As of late Monday local time, Afghan authorities had not issued any statement classifying the blast as a terrorist attack. Earlier, a spokesperson for Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior said the explosion occurred near a Chinese restaurant and that an explosive device was found at the scene, according to Xinhua.