ISIS Vows to Avenge Chinese Oppression in Hotel Attack in Kabul

On December 12, Islamic State (IS) militants attacked Chinese nationals and Taliban officials inside a Kabul hotel. The attackers used guns, grenades, and explosives killing or wounding over 30 people. This incident prompted a surge of anti-Chinese propaganda from both official and pro-IS sources.

In its official al-Naba newsletter, IS published an editorial about the hotel operation and the Chinese oppression of Muslims. The article boasted that the hotel operation "spread terror and panic among the communist Chinese" and chided the Taliban for its cordial relations with Beijing. The editorial was translated and amplified by various pro-IS propagandists in different languages.

A wide range of pro-IS propaganda groups capitalized on the attack to amplify the narratives purveyed in the al-Naba editorial. Al-Azaim Foundation for Media Production, Halummu group, al-Battar, Hadm Alaswar, and At-Tamkeen Media were some of the groups that translated and published the editorial. The messaging from IS supporters persisted even days after the attack with various groups posting images and quotes from the al-Naba article.

IS has long been critical of China, but ISKP has emerged as the most anti-Chinese IS province and the group that acted on its threats. The language used in the editorial portends future ISKP attacks against Chinese interests and nationals. The hotel attack represented a release valve for pent-up anti-China sentiment held by IS and its supporters in the Khorasan region and beyond.

In conclusion, the hotel attack in Kabul marked a turning point in IS's anti-Chinese sentiment and its vow to avenge Chinese oppression. The surge of anti-Chinese propaganda from official and pro-IS sources indicates that future attacks against Chinese interests and nationals are likely.