Overall, in a major Pakistan Afghanistan news development, at least 400 people are dead and hundreds more wounded after a devastating airstrike hit a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul late Monday night.
The strike on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital has drawn swift and fierce international condemnation, with India, cricket icon Mohammad Nabi, and global human rights organisations all calling the bombardment a gross violation of international humanitarian law.
Pakistan has denied targeting any hospital. Meanwhile, tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have sharply escalated in recent weeks.
Pakistan Afghanistan News: What Happened in Kabul Airstrike?
The airstrike hit the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital — a 2,000-bed facility treating patients for addiction to marijuana, amphetamines, and other narcotics — at approximately 9 pm local time on Monday, March 16.
The blast destroyed large sections of the building, triggering fires that rescue crews fought well into Tuesday morning. Afghan interior ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman confirmed the updated toll.
According to officials, “The toll is not final as the rescue operation is still going on, but we have around 400 martyrs and more than 200 wounded,” Zaman said, adding that the strike was “against the Geneva Convention and all international laws.”
Meanwhile, AFP reporters on the ground independently witnessed at least 30 bodies removed from the smouldering site on Monday night. Additionally, more than 65 victims were pulled from the rubble through Tuesday morning.
Rescue Teams Race Against Time
Afghan deputy government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat confirmed that authorities immediately deployed emergency rescue teams to the site. Furthermore, footage circulating on X showed security personnel using flashlights to carry bodies through darkened ruins, while firefighters battled flames across the collapsed structure.
Authorities moved the casualties to several hospitals across the Kabul area. By Tuesday morning, rescuers were still sifting through debris, and the final death toll is likely to rise. However, rescue teams struggled to reach trapped victims inside the hospital.
Pakistan Afghanistan News: Taliban Blames Pakistan for Kabul Attack
Meanwhile, the Taliban government directly blamed Pakistan for the airstrike. In response, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information rejected the allegations and said its strikes targeted military installations and terrorist infrastructure.
Pakistan Afghanistan News: Taliban Blames Pakistan for Attack
Islamabad dismissed Afghanistan’s casualty figures as propaganda. It insisted its forces conducted precise operations and avoided collateral damage.
However, Afghanistan’s government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected Pakistan’s version outright and accused Islamabad of targeting civilian sites. This Pakistan Afghanistan news escalation marks one of the deadliest incidents in recent weeks.
India Condemns Pakistan in Strongest Terms
New Delhi entered the diplomatic fray on Tuesday, March 17, issuing one of its sharpest statements against Pakistan in recent memory.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs called the hospital strike “a cowardly and unconscionable act of violence,” stating that the attack on a civilian medical facility “can by no means be justified as a military target.”
Moreover, the ministry stated that “Pakistan is now trying to dress up a massacre as a military operation” and called the bombing a “heinous act of aggression.”
Afghanistan Cricketer Mohammad Nabi Speaks Out
The attack resonated far beyond the political sphere. Afghanistan cricket veteran Mohammad Nabi took to X to condemn what he called a deliberate strike on civilians.
Nabi described the harrowing scene outside the hospital — mothers gathered at the entrance, calling out their sons’ names — and noted that the bombing had occurred on the 28th night of Ramadan, one of the most sacred nights in the Islamic calendar.
The attack destroyed hope at a hospital,” he wrote, calling the bombing an assault on young men seeking treatment.
Additionally, Afghanistan’s Mirwais Ashraf condemned the strike and described it as a violation of humanitarian norms.
International Human Rights Foundation Calls for Investigation
The International Human Rights Foundation condemned the Kabul hospital bombardment and warned that no conflict should target medical facilities.
The organisation called for:
- An independent international investigation into the strike
- Accountability for those responsible
- Immediate protective measures for all medical facilities in the conflict zone
Importantly, the foundation stressed that attacks on hospitals violate fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions.
Pakistan Afghanistan News: Rising Cross-Border Tensions Explained
Long-standing tensions over cross-border militant activity have driven the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict, now entering its third week.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban government of harbouring militants responsible for deadly attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul has denied the accusations, and the two neighbours have exchanged strikes across the border with increasing intensity.
However, Monday’s hospital bombing marks a major escalation in the conflict. Therefore, the incident could significantly impact regional stability.
What Happens Next?
As a result, with the death toll rising and rescue operations ongoing, the coming days will be critical in determining the next course of the conflict.
Meanwhile, the United Nations and several regional powers have not issued formal responses as of Tuesday afternoon. However, pressure for a ceasefire and investigation is increasing.
For a region already scarred by decades of war, the ruins of a hospital in Kabul now stand as the starkest symbol yet of a crisis threatening to spiral dangerously out of control. This Pakistan Afghanistan news escalation marks one of the deadliest incidents in recent weeks. Additionally, diplomatic tensions between both countries continue to rise.
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Sources
| # | Source | Link |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AFP / The Guardian | theguardian.com |
| 2 | Al Jazeera | aljazeera.com |
| 3 | BBC News | bbc.com/news |
| 4 | The Hindu | thehindu.com |
| 5 | NDTV | ndtv.com |
| 6 | Hindustan Times | hindustantimes.com |
| 7 | Mohammad Nabi — X (Twitter) | x.com/MohammadNabi007 |
| 8 | International Human Rights Foundation | ihrf.org |
⚠️ Editorial Note: This article is based on information provided at time of writing. Death tolls and rescue figures may change as operations continue. Independent verification of all casualty figures remains ongoing.