At least 400 people have been killed and around 250 others injured following reported airstrikes in Kabul, in what Afghan authorities describe as one of the deadliest incidents in the capital in recent years. Residents reported hearing the sound of a fighter jet followed by multiple powerful explosions at approximately 8:50 p.m. local time, with subsequent gunfire echoing across several parts of the city.
According to Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson of the Taliban administration, the strikes targeted the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a major drug rehabilitation facility with around 2,000 patients undergoing treatment at the time. He stated that large sections of the hospital were destroyed, resulting in catastrophic casualties. Rescue teams were deployed to extinguish fires and recover victims from the rubble, while officials warned the death toll could rise further.
The Taliban government, formally known as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, strongly condemned the attack. Chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid described the incident as an inhumane act that violates fundamental principles of international conduct. Video footage released by Taliban-linked media purportedly showed a guard at the facility claiming a bomb had detonated near the compound, leaving him injured by shrapnel.
However, Pakistan has firmly denied targeting any medical facility. Pakistani officials stated that the strikes were directed at what they described as precise military installations and terrorist support infrastructure in Kabul and Nangarhar Province. The conflicting narratives have intensified tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where relations have deteriorated in recent months amid cross-border security concerns.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has yet to release an official statement on the incident, though international concern is mounting. Richard Bennett said he was dismayed by reports of civilian casualties and urged all parties to exercise restraint and adhere to international law, particularly regarding the protection of civilians and medical facilities.
India issued a strongly worded condemnation of the reported strike, calling it a “barbaric” and “cowardly” attack on a civilian hospital. In a statement, India described the incident as a blatant violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and warned that such actions pose a serious threat to regional stability. The statement also emphasized that targeting a hospital during the holy month of Ramzan made the act even more reprehensible and called on the international community to hold those responsible accountable.
Human rights activists and observers have called for an independent international investigation into the incident to establish the facts amid sharply conflicting claims. As the situation develops, fears are growing that the violence could further destabilize the region and escalate tensions between the two neighboring countries.
