A devastating night in Kabul has triggered fresh regional tensions, with Afghanistan alleging that a Pakistani airstrike hit a major hospital, killing at least 400 people and injuring around 250 more. Most of the victims were reportedly patients. Pakistan has firmly denied the आरोप, insisting it did not target any civilian infrastructure. The conflicting claims have pushed Afghanistan-Pakistan relations to a dangerous flashpoint.
According to Taliban authorities, the strike took place late Monday night in the Afghan capital. Officials claim that around 9 PM local time, a large medical facility—reportedly a 2,000-bed hospital treating drug addiction—was hit from the air. The impact left a significant portion of the building in ruins. Videos circulating in local media show chaotic rescue efforts, with security personnel using flashlights to pull survivors from debris as flames engulf parts of the structure.
The incident comes amid escalating border clashes between the two nations over the past two weeks. Earlier on Monday, cross-border gunfire reportedly killed four Taliban fighters. Within hours, reports of the Kabul hospital strike surfaced, further intensifying the already volatile situation.
Afghan Deputy Spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat was among the first to confirm the attack, stating that casualties could rise as rescue operations continue. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the alleged strike as a “crime against humanity,” accusing Pakistan of deliberately targeting civilian sites, including healthcare facilities.
Pakistan, however, has categorically rejected the allegations. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesperson, Mosharraf Zaidi, dismissed the claims as “baseless.” Pakistan’s Ministry of Information stated that its operations are strictly limited to identified militant positions and that extreme care is taken to avoid civilian harm. Islamabad further suggested that Kabul may be making such claims to deflect attention from its own internal security issues.
As of now, the incident remains unverified by independent international sources. However, the scale of the reported casualties and the seriousness of the accusations have raised global concern. If confirmed, the attack could mark a significant escalation in an already fragile regional conflict.
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