Three drug traffickers were killed during an armed clash with Tajik border forces along the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, according to local Afghan authorities.

Ehsanullah Kamgar, spokesperson for Badakhshan police, said the incident took place two nights ago when the individuals — residents of Khwahan district in Badakhshan province — were attempting to smuggle narcotics into Tajik territory.

Tajik border guards reportedly detected the group, which led to an exchange of gunfire between the two sides.

Kamgar added that based on information from the Khwahan District Police, the bodies of the three traffickers were handed over to Afghan border forces after the confrontation ended.

Authorities have not yet released details about the type or quantity of narcotics involved. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.

At least seven people, including one Chinese national, were killed in an explosion at a restaurant in downtown Kabul on Monday, according to city police.

Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said the blast occurred at a joint Chinese-Afghan restaurant known as Chinese Noodle, located in the Shahr-e-Naw area of Kabul. Several other people were wounded in the incident and were taken to hospital for treatment.

Zadran said the restaurant was operated by a Chinese Muslim national, Abdul Majid, along with his wife and an Afghan partner identified as Abdul Jabbar Mahmoud. Abdul Majid is from China’s Xinjiang region, and the restaurant was known for serving dishes catering to Chinese Muslim customers.

According to police, a Chinese national named Ayub, also a Muslim, and six Afghan citizens were killed in the blast. The explosion reportedly occurred near the restaurant’s kitchen area.

Authorities said the cause of the explosion has not yet been determined. Security forces have sealed off the area and launched an investigation to establish the nature of the blast and whether it was accidental or deliberate.

Police said further details will be released once investigations are completed.

Officials from Afghanistan’s National Disaster Preparedness Authority (NDPA) have confirmed that a 500-kilogram bomb, leftover from past conflicts, was safely defused in Enjil district, Herat province, averting a potential humanitarian disaster.

According to the NDPA, the device was discovered after local residents alerted emergency services.

Technical teams, along with operational units from the international demining organization HALO Trust, coordinated with relevant authorities to carry out the delicate operation.

Following a thorough assessment, the bomb was removed from the residential area and transported to an uninhabited location, where it was destroyed in full compliance with safety standards.

Officials emphasized that rapid coordination and adherence to protocols prevented what could have been a deadly incident.

Authorities said the bomb was initially found when a resident came across it while digging the foundation for a house. The swift response of the NDPA and partner organizations ensured the safety of the surrounding community.

The National Disaster Preparedness Authority praised public vigilance and urged citizens to immediately report any unexploded ordnance or suspicious objects from previous conflicts to emergency numbers, so that timely and safe action can be taken.