More than 400 people are feared dead after an airstrike struck a major rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, in what is being described as one of the deadliest incidents in the escalating conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Afghan authorities say the strike destroyed large sections of the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a 2,000-bed facility that was reportedly filled with patients receiving treatment at the time of the attack. The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan claims the airstrike killed at least 400 people and injured around 250 others. Pakistan has strongly denied deliberately targeting the hospital. According to Afghan officials, the attack took place late Monday night when explosions ripped through the facility, leaving buildings in flames and trapping many patients inside.
Conflicting Accounts Over What Happened
Witnesses and local officials say Pakistani fighter jets were seen flying over the area shortly before the explosions occurred. Some reports suggest Afghan fighters may have been operating near the hospital and opened fire at the aircraft before the strike happened.
Pakistan’s government has rejected accusations that it intentionally bombed a medical facility, saying its air force carried out “precise and deliberate” strikes targeting militant infrastructure and ammunition depots linked to groups attacking Pakistan. Officials in Islamabad insist that no civilian sites were targeted. However, Afghan authorities argue the hospital was clearly a civilian medical facility treating drug addiction patients and accuse Pakistan of committing a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
International Concern Over Civilian Casualties
The United Nations and several international organizations have expressed alarm over the high number of civilian casualties and have called for an independent investigation into the incident.
While Afghan officials estimate the death toll at more than 400, a United Nations agency has so far confirmed at least 143 deaths, suggesting the final casualty figure may still change as rescue teams continue searching through the rubble. oai_citation:0‡Reuters
Survivors described chaotic scenes following the blast, with fires engulfing parts of the building and injured patients struggling to escape collapsing structures. Many victims were reportedly unable to evacuate because they were bedridden or undergoing treatment.
Conflict Between Pakistan and Afghanistan Intensifies
The airstrike comes amid rapidly escalating tensions between the two neighboring countries, which have exchanged accusations of harboring militant groups along their shared border.
Pakistan has recently launched multiple airstrikes in Afghanistan, claiming they target terrorist networks responsible for attacks inside Pakistan. Afghan authorities have rejected those accusations and condemned the strikes as violations of Afghan sovereignty.
Diplomatic efforts by regional powers to calm the situation have so far failed, raising fears that the conflict could expand further and destabilize the wider region.
Why This Story Matters
If confirmed, the scale of the Kabul hospital strike would make it one of the deadliest attacks on a medical facility in recent years. The tragedy highlights the devastating civilian toll of the growing Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict and underscores the urgent need for de-escalation and independent investigations.
The incident also comes at a time when global tensions are rising elsewhere, including renewed concerns over the Middle East following warnings of possible escalation involving Iran and the United States. Read more about rising tensions involving Trump and Iran here.
As rescue operations continue and international pressure mounts, the true scale of the tragedy in Kabul may only become clear in the coming days.
