400 Casualties Reported in Hospital Attack in Afghanistan; Pakistan Claims Military Targets Hit

Taliban authorities in Afghanistan disclosed that approximately 400 individuals were killed and another 250 injured due to a Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation hospital located in Kabul, marking a significant rise in tensions between Afghanistan and its neighbor.

According to the Taliban government, the strike occurred on Monday evening at the state-operated Omid hospital, resulting in severe damage to the facility that was reportedly treating hundreds of patients.

However, Pakistan refuted these allegations, asserting that the operation specifically targeted militant infrastructure rather than civilian areas. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that secondary explosions indicated the presence of ammunition depots, countering the claim that a hospital was struck.

This incident comes amid a backdrop of renewed hostilities between the two nations, which have seen their relations decline sharply in the last few weeks despite mediation efforts by China aimed at reducing tensions.

Witness accounts describe catastrophic scenes at the location, with significant portions of the hospital reduced to debris and engulfed in flames. Survivors noted hearing multiple explosions while patients and staff were concluding their evening prayers.

A eyewitness named Ahmad recounted how quickly the fire spread through the building, stating, “The whole place caught fire. It was like doomsday,” and mentioned that many individuals were trapped inside during the chaos.

Emergency services, including ambulances and security forces, rushed to the scene, with rescue teams laboring overnight to recover bodies from the wreckage and manage the ongoing fire.

Taliban officials reported significant destruction across large areas of the hospital and cautioned that the death toll might continue to climb. However, independent verification of the casualty figures remains unattainable.

Pakistan maintains that its military activities are part of ongoing counter- terrorism operations, accusing Afghanistan of hosting militants responsible for cross-border assaults—a claim that the Afghan government denies.

This latest incident has arisen amidst a broader context of regional instability, with rising tensions throughout the Middle East adding to the concerns.

The United Nations has voiced its alarm regarding the situation, urging both parties to exercise restraint and comply with international law, especially concerning the protection of civilians and healthcare facilities.

Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident are still in progress, with differing accounts emerging from various sources.