Kabul, A Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Afghanistan’s capital has killed more than 100 people, according to forensic sources in Kabul. The Taliban government claims the death toll is far higher, with officials saying at least 400 were killed.
The strike flattened the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, which had been housing thousands of patients. Rescuers continued searching through the night and into Tuesday morning, pulling bodies and survivors from the rubble. Witnesses described scenes of devastation, with blankets and shoes scattered among charred debris and shattered windows.
Conflicting Accounts
Pakistan’s information ministry denied deliberately targeting civilians, insisting its forces had “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure.” Afghan officials rejected that claim, saying there were no military facilities near the rehab centre.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (Unama) condemned the attack, calling for “de-escalation and an immediate ceasefire” and urging both sides to uphold international law protecting civilians.
Family members of patients gathered outside the destroyed facility, desperate for news of loved ones. A BBC reporter at the scene witnessed more than 30 bodies carried out on stretchers Monday evening.
Rising Tensions
The strike marks a sharp escalation in cross-border violence. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of sheltering militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad blames for attacks inside its territory. Kabul denies the allegations.
The two countries agreed to a ceasefire in October, but clashes have intensified in recent weeks. Between February 26 and March 13, at least 75 people were killed and nearly 200 injured in Afghanistan due to cross-border fighting, according to UN figures.
International Response
China has urged restraint, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaking to both Afghan and Pakistani counterparts last week. Beijing called for a ceasefire “at the earliest opportunity” and encouraged direct talks.
The hospital, once a U.S. military base, had been converted into a rehabilitation centre after the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. It became a hub for treating drug users rounded up across Kabul. Officials estimate that as many as 2,000 patients were inside at the time of the strike, raising fears that the final casualty count could climb much higher.
