KABUL : At least 400 people have been killed and approximately 250 others injured following a Pakistani airstrike in Kabul, the Afghan capi...
KABUL : At least 400 people have been killed and approximately 250 others injured following a Pakistani airstrike in Kabul, the Afghan capital.
According to Hamdullah Fitrat, Afghanistan’s Deputy Government Spokesman, the strike occurred around 9:00 PM local time. The attack reportedly targeted a drug rehabilitation center, destroying a significant portion of the 2,000-bed facility.
Pakistan has categorically rejected these allegations, dismissing them as "baseless" and clarifying that its military did not target any medical facilities in Kabul.
Official Statements
Zabihullah Mujahid (Afghan Government Spokesman):
Mujahid accused Pakistan of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure to incite terror. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), he said:
"The Pakistani military regime has once again violated Afghanistan's airspace, targeting a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul. Numerous patients under treatment have been killed or injured. We strongly condemn this crime; such acts violate all established international principles and constitute a crime against humanity."
Attaullah Tarar (Pakistan Information Minister):
Tarar maintained that the Pakistani military conducted "precision airstrikes" specifically targeting military installations in Kabul and the eastern province of Nangarhar. He claimed that technical support systems and ammunition depots were neutralized in two Kabul locations.
"Only the infrastructure used by the Afghan Taliban regime to support terrorist groups was targeted," Tarar posted on X.
This strike follows a border skirmish earlier that day which left four Afghans dead. The ongoing conflict—now entering its third week—is the deadliest the region has seen in years.
Timeline of Escalation: Hostilities spiked in late February following Afghan cross-border raids. Kabul claimed those raids were retaliation for earlier Pakistani airstrikes that resulted in civilian casualties.
The current fighting effectively nullifies a ceasefire agreement brokered by Qatar last October.
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has heightened tensions by declaring that Pakistan is now in an "open war" with Afghanistan.
The border dispute remains volatile, with both nations trading blame as diplomatic efforts appear to have stalled.
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