Kabul: The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the killing of a Chinese national in Afghanistan’s northern Takhar province, in a post on its Telegram channel late on Wednesday.
Afghan police in the province had said on Wednesday that a Chinese citizen was murdered and a preliminary investigation had been launched, but it was not clear who was behind the attack.
The Islamic State said it had targeted a vehicle carrying the Chinese citizen, which led to his death and damage to his vehicle.
China’s foreign ministry said on Thursday it was “deeply shocked” by the attack and had demanded that the Afghan side thoroughly investigate the incident and severely punish the perpetrators.
“We urge the Afghan interim government to take resolute and effective measures to ensure the security of Chinese civil institutions and projects in Afghanistan,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing.
China was the first country to appoint an ambassador to Afghanistan under the Taliban and has said it wants to boost trade and investment ties.
The Taliban took over in 2021, vowing to restore security to the war-torn nation.
Attacks have continued, including an assault in 2022 on a Kabul hotel popular with Chinese investors. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for many of them.
(Reporting by Kabul bureau; Additional reporting by Clauda Tanios in Dubai, Colleen Howe and Ethan Wang in Beijing; Writing by Asif Shahzad; Editing by Edmund Klamann)
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