Taliban security personnel stand guard at a blast site following an explosion in the Shahr-e Naw area of Kabul on January 19, 2026. - / AFP
A blast at a Chinese restaurant in central Kabul on Monday, January 19, killed at least seven people and wounded more than a dozen others, emergency services said. An AFP journalist saw police vehicles and an ambulance at the scene following the explosion on a street known for its flower sellers in the Shahr-e-Naw area.
Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said the explosion occurred at the Chinese Noodle restaurant, which he said mainly served Chinese Muslims.
"A Chinese Muslim, Ayub, and six Afghans were killed, and several others were wounded. The blast occurred near the kitchen," Zadran said in a statement.
The police spokesman, who said the cause was under investigation, had earlier said the blast hit a hotel.
