Loud blast, shots heard near China guest house in Kabul

Loud blast, shots heard near China guest house in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul, AFP reported citing witnesses.

“It was a very loud explosion and then there was a lot of gunfire,” the witness told AFP, while local media also reported similar details.

There has been a significant number of Chinese business people visiting Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power, and Beijing maintains a full embassy even while not officially recognising the regime.

The district is home to the Kabul Longan Hotel, a multi-storey complex popular with Chinese business people who are visiting Afghanistan in increasing numbers since the Taliban’s return, AFP reported.

Reuters reported that armed men opened fire inside a building in central Kabul that housed some foreigners. Residents of the Shahr-e-Naw area in central Kabul said shootings continued in the area after a powerful explosion, the report added saying that the attack was carried out at a hotel where Chinese and other foreigners usually stay.