Afghanistan says Pakistan hit Kabul rehab center killing 408, Islamabad rejects claim
Afghanistan says Pakistan hit Kabul rehab center killing 408, Islamabad rejects claim
A Taliban official confirmed Tuesday that Pakistan’s airstrike on a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul resulted in 408 deaths and 265 injuries, marking the deadliest incident since hostilities resumed in October. The attack, which occurred Monday night, was described by Afghan authorities as a direct hit on a state-run center. Pakistan dismissed the report as false and misleading, asserting it had “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure” in the area.
China’s intervention came hours after the attack, with officials expressing readiness to mediate and encourage both nations to resume talks. Earlier attempts by Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia to mediate had faltered. Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s foreign minister, stated that Afghanistan had lost faith in Pakistan’s commitment to a diplomatic resolution, according to his office.
The dispute represents the most severe clash between the two neighboring South Asian Islamic nations, which share a 2,600-kilometer border. Hamdullah Fitrat, the Taliban’s deputy spokesperson, shared on X that the strike occurred at 9 p.m. Monday and targeted the state-run Omid Hospital, which he described as a 2,000-bed drug rehabilitation center. The Pakistani Information Ministry clarified that Omid Hospital was miles from Camp Phoenix, the “military terrorist ammunition and equipment storage site” it claimed was the target.
“The visible secondary detonations after the strikes clearly indicate the presence of large ammunition depots,” said Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar in a post on X.
Kabul residents, including a Reuters journalist, noted that the abandoned NATO base, once known as Omid Camp or “camp of hope,” had been repurposed as a drug treatment center a decade ago. They emphasized that Omid Hospital and Omid Camp were distinct entities. Hostilities escalated last month following Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan’s military and militant strongholds, which Islamabad claimed were strategic targets.
The Taliban contested the claim, asserting that combating militancy is Pakistan’s domestic issue. At the strike site, a single-story building lay in ruins, charred by flames. Nearby structures were reduced to mounds of debris, with a few bunk beds remaining intact and personal items scattered across the ground.
Afghan Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qanie reported 408 fatalities and 265 injuries. The victims were transported to Kabul hospitals, though details on casualty assessment remained unclear. A Taliban official, Hafizullah Maroof, noted that at least 102 bodies were delivered to the Kabul Forensic Medical Department. Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, added that the deceased primarily comprised civilians and addicts.
Reuters could not confirm the casualty figures. Despite each asserting significant damage, independent verification has proven elusive. The Norwegian Refugee Council, an independent aid organization, reported observing numerous casualties. “We visited the Kabul hospital treating addicts this morning and found hundreds of civilians dead or injured,” they stated in a press release.
Susan Ferguson, UN Women’s Special Representative in Afghanistan, described the scene as “devastating” during a New York briefing via video link. “There were many families there searching for their loved ones,” she said. An EU statement highlighted that civilian and medical facilities are safeguarded under international law, calling the strike “another deadly escalation in a conflict that requires an urgent end.”
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported multiple casualties and urged for immediate de-escalation. Witnesses reported hearing three explosions as people at the center concluded evening prayers, with two strikes hitting rooms and patient areas. “The entire place ignited. It was like doomsday,” said Ahmad, 5.
