Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun

In response to media inquiries about reports that the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the explosion outside a Chinese restaurant in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Monday afternoon, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that the explosion caused multiple casualties, including one Chinese national killed and five others injured, and that China expresses deep condolences over the death of the Chinese national and sincere sympathy to those injured.

China has lodged an urgent representation with the Afghan side, urging it to make every effort to treat the wounded, take further effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese nationals, projects and institutions in Afghanistan, promptly ascertain the truth and punish the perpetrators, and that the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan has visited the hospital where the injured are being treated to convey condolences, said Guo.  

Guo said China strongly condemns and firmly opposes terrorism in all its forms and supports Afghanistan and countries in the region in jointly combating all forms of terrorist and violent activities, adding that in light of the current security situation in Afghanistan, the Chinese Foreign Ministry once again advises Chinese citizens to refrain from traveling to Afghanistan in the near future, and urges Chinese nationals and enterprises already in Afghanistan to heighten vigilance, strengthen security measures, and withdraw from high-risk areas as soon as possible.

Global Times