A suspected suicide bomber on Tuesday rammed a vehicle through the entrance of the Chinese Embassy in the Kyrgyzstan capital of Bishkek, injuring at least three people, with both countries describing it as a terrorist attack.
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Kyrgyzstan’s government says a suicide auto bomber has attacked China’s embassy in Bishkek – killing himself and wounding three embassy employees.
Three embassy employees, all Kyrgyz nationals, were injured while the suicide bomber died, Deputy PM Zhenish Razakov said. “Security guards were injured”, Mr Razakov told journalists.
A local news site, 24.kg, reported that both the Chinese and USA embassies were being evacuated.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing that Kyrgyzstan was investigating the attack. Embassy personnel were escorted off the compound shortly after the attack, which came just one day before the central Asian nation’s independence day.
The security service of the ex-Soviet Central Asiannation – which borders China – said an “explosive device” had been placed inside the vehicle, an official said.
The authorities regularly announce that they have foiled attacks planned by the Islamic State group in the country.
A Turkish official said in June that one of three suspected Islamic State suicide bombers involved in a deadly attack on Istanbul’s main airport was a Kyrgyz national.
As well as Chinese embassy employees, staff at the American embassy nearby were evacuated.
The Kyrgyz side has taken all emergency measures after the attack, and will carry out a thorough investigation and punish those responsible, said Abdyldaev. He also said that the attacker later succumbed to his injuries.
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Further, reports do indicate that this was a terrorist attack.
