The Taliban say a Chinese national has been killed in northeastern Afghanistan | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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The Taliban say a Chinese national has been killed in northeastern Afghanistan

A Chinese man was killed in northeastern Afghanistan, a Taliban police spokesman said Wednesday. The killing of foreigners is rare in the country, especially since the withdrawal of foreign troops in 2021.

Police spokesman Mohammed Akbar, in Takhar province, said the man was killed Tuesday night by “unknown people” while he was on his way to Dasht-e-Qala district.

Akbar said the foreigner, surnamed Li, had been traveling to an unknown destination with his interpreter and without informing security authorities. The interpreter was not harmed in the incident, according to Akbar.

“The police have started their initial investigation. Stay tuned for more details," added Akbar. He did not provide further information.

A group called the National Mobilization Front claimed responsibility for the killing and said its fighters had targeted the Chinese man's vehicle.

It alleged the Chinese man was training Taliban intelligence in monitoring social media platforms, without providing evidence.

Asked about the incident at a daily briefing on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said she was not familiar with it. "I believe that the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan will do its utmost to protect the safety of Chinese citizens and we will follow the situation,” she said.

China is of particular importance to the Taliban, who are courting foreign investment and regional alliances amid their continued isolation on the international stage because of their restrictions on women and girls.

In December 2022, China urged its citizens to leave Afghanistan following a coordinated attack by Islamic State militants on a Chinese-owned hotel in the heart of Kabul.

Chinese firms, with Beijing backing, have sought to pursue opportunities in exploiting Afghanistan’s vast, undeveloped resource deposits, especially the Mes Aynak mine that is believed to hold the world’s largest copper deposit.

News from © The Associated Press, 2025
The Associated Press

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