Islamic State targets Chinese citizens in Afghanistan: a strategic move amid rising tensions
The recent bombing of a Chinese restaurant in Kabul, claimed by the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K), has raised concerns about the growing threat to Chinese citizens in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. An article posted on Radio-Liberty’s website reports that on January 19, a suicide attack on the Lanzhou Chinese Noodles restaurant killed at least seven people and injured 13, including one Chinese national. IS-K, the regional affiliate of the extremist group, quickly took responsibility, citing China’s policies in Xinjiang, where over a million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Muslim minorities have been detained in mass internment camps.
According to Michael Semple, an expert on Afghanistan, extremist jihadists view China as an enemy of Muslims, and many remain active under Taliban rule. This, he says, has forced China to bolster its security measures for its citizens in the region. The January attack is part of a broader campaign targeting Chinese interests across Central Asia, including recent attacks in Pakistan and Tajikistan, likely aimed at discouraging Chinese investment in the region.
IS-K’s strategic focus on China
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, the group has clashed with IS-K, viewing the latter’s ambitions to establish a regional caliphate as a direct threat to its governance in Afghanistan. IS-K, however, continues to target Chinese nationals, seeking to disrupt China’s economic presence in the region and undermine the Taliban’s legitimacy. By instilling fear, the group aims to prevent Chinese companies from investing, doing business, and extracting resources, ultimately weakening the Taliban’s control.
Lucas Webber, a senior analyst at Tech Against Terrorism, explained that the recent attacks on Chinese targets are part of a larger strategy by IS-K to expose vulnerabilities in the Taliban’s security claims and to challenge its relationships with foreign partners, particularly China. Webber noted that IS-K is using these attacks as a propaganda tool to strengthen its regional influence.
Chinese nationals as pawns in Taliban-IS rivalry
China has become one of the Taliban’s most significant diplomatic and economic partners since the group regained power, despite not officially recognizing the Taliban government. This partnership has made Chinese citizens — from engineers to restaurant owners — visible symbols of the Taliban’s legitimacy, and, consequently, attractive targets for IS-K militants.
Semple argues that IS-K’s attacks on Chinese nationals also serve as a message to the Taliban, showing that the extremist group still retains the ability to carry out successful attacks despite ongoing efforts to eliminate it. The recent bombing further casts doubt on Taliban assertions that IS-K has been eradicated from Afghanistan.
In April 2024, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid declared that IS-K had been suppressed and no longer posed a threat. However, political analyst Sami Yousafzai noted that while IS-K lacks bases within Afghanistan, its activities are not entirely contained. The group’s reach extends into neighboring Pakistan and Tajikistan, where Chinese nationals have also been targeted in recent months.
Cross-border threats and regional attacks
In November 2025, two separate attacks in Tajikistan, near the Afghan border, resulted in the deaths of five Chinese workers and injuries to five others. Tajik authorities confirmed that the attacks originated from Afghan territory. Following these attacks, Taliban officials pledged cooperation with Tajikistan to investigate the incidents. In response, Taliban forces raided an IS-K hideout near the Tajik border, which they believe was connected to the November assaults.
IS-K has targeted Chinese nationals in the past, including a 2022 bombing of a Chinese-owned hotel in Kabul. The group has also ramped up its recruiting and propaganda efforts since the Taliban’s takeover. Webber highlighted that, ahead of the Taliban’s return to power, IS-K-linked media outlets issued threats against China, criticizing the country’s growing influence in Afghanistan.
As IS-K’s rivalry with the Taliban intensifies, it is likely that the group will continue to target Chinese nationals, particularly as the Taliban’s diplomatic ties with China deepen. Webber warned that IS-K may escalate attacks on Chinese infrastructure, including energy lines in Central Asia, and could conduct cross-border operations targeting Chinese interests.
Conclusion
The rise in attacks on Chinese nationals and interests in Afghanistan and its neighboring countries signals the increasingly complex geopolitical dynamics in the region. IS-K’s ongoing campaign against China, fueled by ideological opposition and strategic objectives, underscores the challenges facing the Taliban as it attempts to consolidate power while balancing international relations, particularly with Beijing. As the rivalry between IS-K and the Taliban intensifies, Chinese citizens and businesses will likely remain in the crossfire.
According to Michael Semple, an expert on Afghanistan, extremist jihadists view China as an enemy of Muslims, and many remain active under Taliban rule. This, he says, has forced China to bolster its security measures for its citizens in the region. The January attack is part of a broader campaign targeting Chinese interests across Central Asia, including recent attacks in Pakistan and Tajikistan, likely aimed at discouraging Chinese investment in the region.
IS-K’s strategic focus on China
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, the group has clashed with IS-K, viewing the latter’s ambitions to establish a regional caliphate as a direct threat to its governance in Afghanistan. IS-K, however, continues to target Chinese nationals, seeking to disrupt China’s economic presence in the region and undermine the Taliban’s legitimacy. By instilling fear, the group aims to prevent Chinese companies from investing, doing business, and extracting resources, ultimately weakening the Taliban’s control.
Lucas Webber, a senior analyst at Tech Against Terrorism, explained that the recent attacks on Chinese targets are part of a larger strategy by IS-K to expose vulnerabilities in the Taliban’s security claims and to challenge its relationships with foreign partners, particularly China. Webber noted that IS-K is using these attacks as a propaganda tool to strengthen its regional influence.
Chinese nationals as pawns in Taliban-IS rivalry
China has become one of the Taliban’s most significant diplomatic and economic partners since the group regained power, despite not officially recognizing the Taliban government. This partnership has made Chinese citizens — from engineers to restaurant owners — visible symbols of the Taliban’s legitimacy, and, consequently, attractive targets for IS-K militants.
Semple argues that IS-K’s attacks on Chinese nationals also serve as a message to the Taliban, showing that the extremist group still retains the ability to carry out successful attacks despite ongoing efforts to eliminate it. The recent bombing further casts doubt on Taliban assertions that IS-K has been eradicated from Afghanistan.
In April 2024, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid declared that IS-K had been suppressed and no longer posed a threat. However, political analyst Sami Yousafzai noted that while IS-K lacks bases within Afghanistan, its activities are not entirely contained. The group’s reach extends into neighboring Pakistan and Tajikistan, where Chinese nationals have also been targeted in recent months.
Cross-border threats and regional attacks
In November 2025, two separate attacks in Tajikistan, near the Afghan border, resulted in the deaths of five Chinese workers and injuries to five others. Tajik authorities confirmed that the attacks originated from Afghan territory. Following these attacks, Taliban officials pledged cooperation with Tajikistan to investigate the incidents. In response, Taliban forces raided an IS-K hideout near the Tajik border, which they believe was connected to the November assaults.
IS-K has targeted Chinese nationals in the past, including a 2022 bombing of a Chinese-owned hotel in Kabul. The group has also ramped up its recruiting and propaganda efforts since the Taliban’s takeover. Webber highlighted that, ahead of the Taliban’s return to power, IS-K-linked media outlets issued threats against China, criticizing the country’s growing influence in Afghanistan.
As IS-K’s rivalry with the Taliban intensifies, it is likely that the group will continue to target Chinese nationals, particularly as the Taliban’s diplomatic ties with China deepen. Webber warned that IS-K may escalate attacks on Chinese infrastructure, including energy lines in Central Asia, and could conduct cross-border operations targeting Chinese interests.
Conclusion
The rise in attacks on Chinese nationals and interests in Afghanistan and its neighboring countries signals the increasingly complex geopolitical dynamics in the region. IS-K’s ongoing campaign against China, fueled by ideological opposition and strategic objectives, underscores the challenges facing the Taliban as it attempts to consolidate power while balancing international relations, particularly with Beijing. As the rivalry between IS-K and the Taliban intensifies, Chinese citizens and businesses will likely remain in the crossfire.
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