Police said on Wednesday a Chinese mine worker was killed in an attack in Afghanistan which the banned militant Islamic State (ISIS) group later claimed responsibility for, as the Taliban government attempts to project an image of security to encourage investment from Beijing.

The Chinese citizen was travelling the previous evening in northern Takhar province bordering Tajikistan when he was killed by “unknown armed men”, provincial police spokesman Mohammad Akbar Haqqani told AFP.

He said the man was travelling “for an unknown reason” and without informing security officials, who typically accompany Chinese nationals on trips in the country. A translator travelling with the man was unharmed, Haqqani added.

ISIS’s regional chapter claimed responsibility for the attack later today, according to monitor SITE.

“The IS (Islamic State) issued a communique … reporting that fighters fired at a vehicle carrying a ‘communist Chinese’ in Takhar, a province in which the group was last active in 2022,” the monitor said.

Interior Ministry Spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani confirmed the details of the killing and said the Chinese citizen was a business owner with a contract to mine in Afghanistan.

China’s embassy in Kabul did not immediately respond to a request for comment by AFP.

The Taliban government are touting Afghanistan’s vast natural resources, largely untapped during two decades of war, as a lifeline for the ravaged economy and a lucrative opportunity for foreign speculators.

Despite lingering security concerns, neighbouring China is emerging as a potential investment partner.

Chinese and Afghan officials gathered in Kabul a day ago for an event marking 70 years of diplomatic ties.

“I would like to assure my Chinese friends that there is peace and security in Afghanistan,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai told attendees.

“We invite Chinese businessmen and investors to come and invest in Afghanistan with confidence,” he said.

Security has drastically improved in Afghanistan since foreign troops withdrew in 2021 and the Taliban ended their insurgency as they swept back to power.

But the regional chapter of ISIS regularly stages attacks on civilians, security forces, Taliban government officials and foreigners in Afghanistan.

At least five Chinese nationals were wounded when gunmen stormed a Kabul hotel popular with Beijing businessmen in a 2022 attack claimed by IS.

Opinion

In fight mode

In fight mode

The bouts between political parties and establishment take a toll on country far more than they do on political parties.

Editorial

Meltdown
08 Apr, 2025

Meltdown

A full-blown trade war is upon us as the era of the rules-based, multilateral trading order is nearly over.
Settling differences
08 Apr, 2025

Settling differences

SOMETHING is stirring within the PTI. Some of its older hands are back in the limelight, ostensibly to make another...
Glacial ingenuity
08 Apr, 2025

Glacial ingenuity

NECESSITY is indeed the mother of invention, as witnessed in Gilgit-Baltistan. In these areas, where climate change...
Going dry
Updated 07 Apr, 2025

Going dry

Authorities should refrain from undertaking any water scheme that infringes on rights of any federating unit to avoid more controversies.
Afghan return
07 Apr, 2025

Afghan return

AS expected, the government of Pakistan is moving ahead with its plan to forcibly repatriate Afghan Citizenship Card...
Hurting women
07 Apr, 2025

Hurting women

MONTH after month, the figures of crimes against women in the country indicate that our society is close to...