A deadly airstrike in Kabul late Monday night has intensified tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban government. Taliban authorities claim the strike hit the Omid drug rehabilitation centre — a sprawling facility for people recovering from addiction — around 9 p.m., leaving more than 400 dead and over 250 injured.
Witnesses described flames tearing through the compound, with rescuers pulling victims from the rubble throughout the night. Belongings and hospital equipment were scattered across the site, and parts of the complex were reportedly reduced to rubble.
The rehabilitation centre, which once served as a NATO-era military base, has no known military installations nearby, according to Taliban officials, who condemned the strike as a serious violation of Afghan sovereignty. “Large parts of the hospital have been destroyed, and there are fears of heavy casualties,” Taliban spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said.
Pakistan Rejects Allegations
Islamabad has firmly rejected claims of targeting any civilian facility. According to Pakistan’s Information Ministry, the airstrikes were part of Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, a campaign aimed at dismantling militant infrastructure — including ammunition depots, logistical sites, and technical equipment storage — in Kabul and Nangarhar. Officials stressed that the strikes were precise, and they pointed to secondary detonations at the sites as evidence of stored weapons and ammunition, not civilian structures.
Regional Response
China, which has been mediating between the two neighbors, called for restraint and urged both sides to return to negotiations. “The most urgent task is to avoid the expansion of the war and return to the negotiating table as soon as possible,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.
As rescue teams continue to work at the devastated facility and casualty figures remain unverified, the Kabul strike stands as the latest flashpoint in South Asia, highlighting how quickly tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan can escalate — with civilians once again caught in the crossfire.
Sources: BBC, CNN, Reuters, Dawn
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