Kabul: The Taliban has claimed responsibility for a devastating attack on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, leaving 650 people dead and injured.
According to Thai News Agency, the Afghan government has accused Pakistan of launching an airstrike on the Omid Hospital, a state-run, 2,000-bed drug rehabilitation center. The attack, which occurred at 9 p.m. local time on Monday, resulted in at least 400 fatalities and 250 injuries, with large portions of the hospital severely damaged.
An Afghan government spokesman shared details of the incident on the X platform, highlighting the extensive damage and casualties caused by the airstrike. Rescue teams have been working tirelessly to extinguish the blaze and assist the victims. Reports from the scene depict a single-story building charred by fire, surrounded by rubble, with belongings and patient beds scattered throughout the area. Emergency vehicles, including ambulances and police cars, were stationed near the hospital's entrance.
In response, the Pakistani Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated via X that their military operations targeted installations and facilities that support terrorist groups in Kabul and Nangarhar. They claimed these sites, including technical equipment and ammunition depots, were used to launch attacks against Pakistani civilians.
The attack took place just hours after China expressed its willingness to help mediate between the two neighboring countries to prevent further escalation. China urged both Afghanistan and Pakistan to engage in dialogue rather than continue their conflict, which has strained relations between the former allies.
The recent hostilities trace back to February when Pakistan launched airstrikes in Afghanistan, targeting what it described as militant strongholds. This action was met with a strong counterattack from Afghanistan, which condemned the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty and harmful to Afghan civilians. Pakistan has often accused Afghanistan of harboring militants responsible for attacks within its borders, a claim consistently denied by the Taliban, who argue that the insurgency is an internal issue for Pakistan to resolve.