A Taliban government spokesperson accused Pakistan of conducting an airstrike on a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Monday night. Abdul Mateen Qanie, spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, stated that 408 people were killed and 265 injured as a result of the attack, according to Reuters.
The Omar Addiction Treatment Hospital, with a capacity of 2,000 patients, was struck by an airstrike at 9:00 PM local time on Monday (4:30 PM Lisbon time), according to Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson for the Taliban government of Afghanistan. A significant portion of the building was destroyed.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information denied responsibility for the attack, asserting that it had only targeted “military installations” and “terrorist support infrastructure” in Kabul and the Nangarhar province. While, residents near the hospital told Reuters that a military base had previously been located at the site.
Witnesses described scenes of devastation and loss of life. “Everything was on fire, people were burning,” said Haji Fahim, an ambulance driver, as reported by The Guardian. Yousaf Rahim, who survived despite his injuries, recounted that “dozens died instantly and the severely wounded were begging for help.” “I didn’t know what to do, I stepped over bodies and managed to escape outside,” he added.
Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesperson for Pakistan’s prime minister, dismissed the Afghan accusations as “constant lies.” He reiterated that Pakistan’s “counter-terrorism operations” would continue as needed to eliminate “terrorists and their infrastructure,” according to Reuters.
The escalating conflict between the two nations reached a latest point last month, with Pakistan launching airstrikes against several Taliban regime targets in Afghanistan’s major cities. Pakistan’s Defense Minister described the confrontation as an “open war.”
On February 22, Pakistan launched aerial attacks against military targets in Afghanistan, followed by further strikes on major cities. These direct attacks followed intense fighting along the border between the two countries, known as the Durand Line, which Afghanistan does not recognize as a legitimate border. Hundreds of people have been killed or injured in the border clashes and direct attacks.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian appealed for calm and restraint from both countries, reaffirming China’s willingness to help mediate the conflict and reduce tensions. India’s Ministry of External Affairs unequivocally condemned the attack, as it has been strengthening ties with the Taliban government in Afghanistan amid increasing rivalry with Pakistan. In an official statement, India accused Pakistan of “trying to disguise a massacre with a military operation.”
On the same day as the attack on the rehabilitation center, the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved Resolution 2818, extending the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for an additional three months, until June 17, 2026. UN Secretary-General António Guterres had previously called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the resolution of “any differences through diplomatic means” between the two countries.
Texto editado por Paulo Narigão Reis
