China on Tuesday said it was “shocked” by a deadly attack on a Kabul hotel popular with Chinese business people, adding that five of its nationals were wounded.

“This terror attack is abominable and China is deeply shocked. We firmly oppose all forms of terrorism … We express our grief for the Afghan military police who died, and express sympathies for the injured,” foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

At least three people were killed when gunmen attacked the hotel in the Afghan capital Monday, with witnesses reporting multiple blasts and several bursts of gunfire.

The militant Islamic State (IS) group has claimed responsibility.

“As far as we know, five Chinese citizens were injured in the terrorist attack, and several Afghan military and police were also killed,” Wang said.

He added the Chinese embassy in Afghanistan had “made serious representations to the Afghan interim government, asking the Afghan side to spare no effort to rescue the injured, thoroughly investigate the incident, bring the terrorists to justice, and take further measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens in Afghanistan”.

The Taliban claim to have improved security since storming back to power in August last year but there have been scores of bomb blasts and attacks, many claimed by the local chapter of the militant IS.

Embassy personnel had gone to the scene of the attack on Monday to help with rescue and treatment efforts, Wang said.

Wang added that Beijing appreciated that Afghan security forces “actively took part in handling and rescuing Chinese citizens”.

But he reminded Chinese nationals that foreign ministry advice was to evacuate from Afghanistan as soon as possible.