A Chinese citizen was killed on Tuesday in Afghanistan’s northern Takhar province in an attack claimed by the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP).
Taliban provincial police spokesperson Mohammed Akbar confirmed the incident, stating that the victim, identified only by the surname Li, was traveling with an interpreter to the Dasht-e-Qala district when he was fatally targeted by unknown assailants. The interpreter escaped unharmed.
The attack reportedly took place in the Katkajar area of Khwaja Bahauddin district in Takhar province. The Chinese national was working in a gold mining operation in Afghanistan.
The Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) released a statement claiming responsibility for the killing, alleging that its fighters used a machine gun to target a vehicle carrying “a Chinese communist” in the village of Katkajar.
This marks the second instance of Chinese nationals being targeted by ISKP since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021. The first attack, in 2022, targeted the Longan Hotel in Kabul, a site frequented by Chinese investors.
China, which has maintained diplomatic ties with the Taliban and was the first country to appoint an ambassador under the new regime, has shown interest in fostering trade and investment in Afghanistan, particularly in mining. However, incidents like this highlight the ongoing risks faced by Chinese nationals and other foreign workers in the country.
In a separate development, Sar-e-Pul provincial authorities announced the arrest of six ISIS-linked operatives. According to Naqibullah Alamyar, spokesperson for the Sar-e-Pul security command, the suspects were implicated in a November explosion and an attack in the area.
In a recent statement, the Islamic Emirate’s Ministry of Defence, led by Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, alleged that new recruits are being transferred through Karachi and Islamabad airports to training centers in Balochistan and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa tribal areas, with plans to conduct attacks in Afghanistan and beyond. These recruits are reportedly drawn from various Asian and European countries.
Despite the Taliban’s commitment to ensuring security in Afghanistan since its return to power, it continues to face significant challenges from ISKP, which remains active in the region.