Mass Casualties Reported After Strike on Treatment Centre
Kabul rehab strike reports are triggering international alarm after a major attack hit the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Afghanistan’s capital. Forensic laboratory sources told the BBC that more than 100 people were killed, with officials at Afghanistan’s forensic medicine department reporting that some victims could not be identified due to the severity of injuries.
Taliban authorities have claimed the toll is far higher, with a government spokesperson saying deaths had reached at least 400, though those figures have not been independently verified. A BBC reporter at the scene said dozens of bodies were carried out on stretchers on Monday evening. Officials at the facility said around 2,000 people were being treated there and warned casualties could be in the hundreds.
Pakistan Rejects Claims of Deliberate Civilian Targeting
Pakistan denied deliberately striking a medical facility, saying it had “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure.” Its information ministry described Afghan allegations as a misrepresentation intended to inflame public sentiment and distract from what it called cross-border militant support.
Afghanistan’s health ministry spokesperson, Sharafat Zaman Amarkhail, said there were no military facilities near the rehabilitation centre. Residents reported hearing loud explosions across Kabul at about 20:50 local time, followed by aircraft noise and air defence activity.
UN Calls for Investigation and Urges De-escalation
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (Unama) condemned the strike and called for a swift investigation. It urged immediate de-escalation, a ceasefire, and compliance with international law obligations to protect civilians.
Rescue teams continued searching for survivors into Tuesday, as relatives gathered outside the damaged site seeking information about loved ones. Daylight revealed extensive destruction, with debris, scorched structures, and personal belongings scattered around the facility.
Conflict Rekindles After Ceasefire Breaks Down
The incident comes amid a renewed spike in Pakistan Afghanistan tensions. Cross-border conflict re-erupted last month after Pakistan accused Afghanistan of harbouring militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistani territory, a claim Kabul denied.
Despite an October ceasefire, clashes have continued. Unama reported that between 26 February and 13 March, at least 75 people were killed and 193 injured in Afghanistan due to ongoing cross-border fighting.
China Pushes for Restraint and Direct Talks
China, which has sought to lower tensions, said Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke by phone with Afghan and Pakistani counterparts in the past week. Beijing urged both sides to remain calm, exercise restraint, and meet face to face as soon as possible, calling for a ceasefire at the earliest opportunity.
For now, the strike on the Kabul rehabilitation centre has become the most politically explosive episode in the latest escalation, intensifying pressure for accountability while heightening fears of a broader spiral in the region.
