One man was killed which was identified as Chinese mine worker in an armed attack in Afghanistan on Wednesday. The Taliban government was trying to present an image of stability and security to attract many investments from China but now their efforts are useless.
The worker was traveling on Tuesday evening in the northern Takhar province, near the border with Tajikistan, when he was killed by “unidentified armed individuals”.
The officials said that the man was traveling “for an unspecified purpose” and without notifying nobody from the security who customarily escort Chinese nationals during their trips within the country. There was also a translator accompanying the individual but luckily he was unharmed in the incident.
Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani corroborated the details of the killing, revealing that the Chinese citizen was a business owner holding a contract to operate a mine in Afghanistan.
China’s embassy in Kabul did not respond to AFP’s request for comment, and still not one organization has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
Despite the incident and the ongoing security challenges, China is positioning itself as a potential key investment partner for Afghanistan. On Tuesday, Chinese and Afghan officials were together in Kabul for a celebration which occurs 70 years of their diplomatic relations.
“I want to reassure my Chinese friends that Afghanistan is safe and peaceful,” The Deputy Foreign Minister Sher Mohammad Abbas said during the event.
“We invite Chinese investors and businesspeople to confidently invest in Afghanistan,” he added.
In the last few years the security has significantly improved since foreign troops departed in 2021 and the Taliban regained power, threats persist. The regional branch of the Islamic State group continues with many attacks targeting security forces, Taliban officials, and foreigners.
In a notable incident in 2022, gunmen attacked a Kabul hotel frequented by Chinese businesspeople, leaving at least five Chinese nationals injured. The assault was later claimed by terrorist group IS.
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