China on Tuesday advised its citizens in Afghanistan to leave the country “as soon as possible”, following a coordinated attack by Islamic State militants the previous day on a Chinese-owned hotel in the heart of Kabul. The Chinese advisory appeared to be a setback for Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers who seek foreign investments in hopes of halting the downward spiral of the Afghan economy since their takeover of the country more than a year ago.
The militant Islamic State group — a key rival of the Taliban — claimed responsibility for the attack on Monday afternoon at Kabul Longan Hotel, which left three assailants dead and at least two hotel guests injured. On Tuesday, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin called the attack “egregious in nature” and said China was “deeply shocked”.
Beijing demanded a “thorough investigation” and urged the Taliban government “to take resolute and strong measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens, institutions and projects in Afghanistan,” Wang said. The Chinese embassy in Kabul sent its team to the site to help with the rescue, treatment and accommodations for the victims of the attack, Wang added.