Pakistan Strikes Kabul Hospital, Afghanistan Claims 400 Deaths
Kabul, Afghanistan – Afghanistan has accused Pakistan’s military of conducting an airstrike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, resulting in the deaths of at least 400 people. The attack, which occurred late Monday, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
Details of the Attack
According to Hamdullah Fitrat, Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesman, the airstrike hit the Omar Addiction Treatment Hospital, a 2,000-bed facility, around 9:00 PM local time. Fitrat stated that large sections of the hospital were destroyed and that rescue teams are working to recover bodies from the rubble. AP News reports the death toll has reached 400, with approximately 250 injured.
Omid Stanikzai, a security guard at the hospital, told the AFP news agency he heard jets patrolling the sky before the attack. He reported hearing gunfire directed at the jets before the bombs were dropped, causing a fire. CBS News
Pakistan’s Response
Pakistan has denied the allegations, dismissing them as “false and aimed at misleading public opinion.” A spokesperson for Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that no hospitals were targeted in Kabul. Instead, Pakistan claims its “precision airstrikes” targeted Afghan Taliban military installations in Kabul and Nangarhar provinces, alleging the sites were actually ammunition depots. PBS NewsHour
Pakistan asserts that visible secondary detonations following the strikes indicate the presence of large ammunition stores. Firstpost
Escalating Tensions
This attack follows recent cross-border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with reports of four deaths in Afghanistan just hours before the hospital strike. The current fighting represents the deadliest period between the two neighboring countries in recent years, now entering its third week. AP News
Condemnation and Investigation
Zabihullah Mujahid, an Afghan government spokesman, strongly condemned the attack, accusing Pakistan of violating Afghanistan’s airspace and targeting a drug rehabilitation hospital. He characterized the actions as a violation of accepted principles and a crime against humanity. CBS News
The incident is likely to further strain relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, raising concerns about regional stability.