400 Dead as Hospital Bombed; Afghanistan Accuses Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan has strongly denied allegations from Afghanistan claiming that Islamabad conducted an airstrike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul that killed hundreds of people. Pakistan has asserted that its military operations did not target civilian facilities, but rather military installations and terrorist networks.
Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesman for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, stated that the allegations made by Afghanistan constitute misleading information.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information also affirmed that the attack “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist infrastructure support” in Kabul and Nangarhar. They further stated that the operation was conducted with high levels of care to minimise civilian impact.
However, the Taliban-led Afghan government has continued to maintain its accusations. Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Taliban government, stated that the attack occurred on Monday, 16 March 2026, at approximately 21:00 local time and targeted the Omar Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul.
“Unfortunately, the death toll has so far reached 400 people, whilst approximately 250 others are reported injured. Rescue teams are currently at the scene,” Fitrat said.
He added that the majority of the hospital building, which has a capacity of up to 2,000 beds, was destroyed by the airstrike. Local television footage showed firefighters attempting to extinguish fires amid the building debris.
Omid Stanikzai, a hospital security officer, claimed to have heard fighter jets before the attack occurred.
“There was a military unit around us. When this military unit fired at the jet, the jet dropped bombs and a fire broke out,” he told AFP. He also claimed that all casualties were civilians.
Zabihullah Mujahid, another Taliban spokesman, strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a “crime against humanity” and a violation of Afghanistan’s airspace.
Tensions between the two nations have indeed escalated in recent weeks. Clashes in the border region are reported to have killed at least four people in Afghanistan, including two children.
This conflict has also drawn the attention of the UN Security Council, which has urged the Taliban government to strengthen its efforts to combat terrorism. The latest resolution has also extended the mandate of the UN political mission in Afghanistan for an additional three months.
Pakistan has consistently accused Kabul of harbouring armed groups such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, allegations that have been consistently denied by Afghanistan.
As the conflict escalates, the humanitarian impact continues to widen. The World Food Programme has reported that more than 20,000 families in Afghanistan have been displaced and require emergency food assistance.
This situation demonstrates that beyond the mutual accusations between Kabul and Islamabad, the humanitarian crisis on the ground continues to deteriorate without any signs of abatement.