Act of brutality, says Afghanistan after Pakistan airstrike on Kabul Hospital leaves 400 dead, Shehbaz government denies charges

Pakistan had earlier denied hitting a hospital, saying its airstrikes in Kabul and eastern Afghanistan on Monday did not target any civilian sites.

Shehbaz Sharif in massive trouble as violent protests erupt in Pakistan — Pakistan attacks Hospital in Kabul

New Delhi: Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said on Tuesday that the death toll from a Pakistani airstrike that struck a hospital treating drug users in the Afghan capital Kabul has risen to 400. The Pakistani military regime carried out an airstrike at approximately 9:00 PM this evening on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a 2,000-bed facility dedicated to the treatment of drug addiction. As a result of the attack, large sections of the hospital have been destroyed, and there are serious concerns about a high number of casualties,” Hamdullah wrote on X. “Unfortunately, the death toll has so far reached 400, while around 250 others have been reported injured. Rescue teams are currently at the scene working to control the fire and recover the remaining bodies of the victims.”

He further added that a large portion of the hospital building was destroyed in the attack that took place Monday night. He also said that while 400 people have been confirmed dead, around 250 others have been reported injured. Rescue teams are trying to bring the fire under control in the building and recover the victims from the debris.

Pakistan had earlier denied hitting a hospital, saying its airstrikes in Kabul and eastern Afghanistan on Monday did not target any civilian sites.

Afghanistan cricketer Mohammad Nabi shares video:

Afghanistan cricketer Mohammad Nabi also shared a video from the hospital on X, highlighting the human toll of the attack. “Tonight in Kabul, hope was extinguished at a hospital. Young men seeking treatment were murdered in a bombing by the Pakistani military regime,” Nabi wrote. “Mothers waited at the gates, calling their sons’ names. On the 28th night of Ramadan, their lives were cut short,” he added.

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Pakistan denies targeting hospital

Meanwhile, the Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistan government has denied that any hospital was targeted in the attack. The government has said that no civilian sites were damaged in the strikes carried out on Monday in Kabul and eastern Afghanistan.

According to Pakistan, the attacks were aimed only at militant groups. It is important to note that the airstrike came after intense cross-border firing between the two sides on Monday. Afghanistan’s ruling authorities said the strike was a violation of the country’s sovereignty and warned that it would be responded to. The deadly conflict between the two neighboring countries has now entered its third week.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said the strikes “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure,” including equipment storage and ammunition facilities used by the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan-based militants.

Taliban expresses strong anger

Talking to the media about the airstrike, Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Health Ministry, said that a large part of the drug rehabilitation hospital has been completely destroyed. He further informed us that even several hours after the attack, firefighters were trying to extinguish the flames burning in the debris of the building. Afghanistan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that attacking patients in a hospital is an act of brutality.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information stated that the strikes precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure, including technical equipment and ammunition depots of the Afghan Taliban. It also claimed that Pakistan-based militants operating from Afghanistan, particularly in Kabul and Nangarhar, were among the targets.

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