Dozens of people are feared dead or injured following an airstrike that hit a drug treatment center in Kabul on Monday evening. The Taliban government has accused Pakistan of carrying out the attack, which they say resulted in a high number of casualties.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing bodies being carried from the scene, with more than 30 lifeless ones seen leaving the facility on stretchers. The hospital was providing treatment for over 2,000 individuals, raising concerns that the number of victims could be substantial.
Officials from the Afghan health ministry called for urgent investigations, asserting that there are no military installations in proximity to the hospital. Contrarily, Pakistan has refuted these allegations, stating that their military actions were directed against terrorist infrastructure and were conducted with precision to avoid civilian casualties.
Sharafat Zaman Amarkhail, the spokesman for Afghanistan's health ministry, confirmed there were no nearby military targets, further complicating the narrative surrounding the event. Residents in Kabul reported hearing multiple explosions coinciding with the airstrike, leading to panic outside the hospital, where families awaited news of their loved ones.
While the Taliban reports a staggering death toll of at least 400, independent verification remains unavailable. Pakistan's government called Afghanistan's claims a "misreporting of facts," asserting it was an attempt to misdirect attention from its alleged support for cross-border terrorism.
This incident follows a resurgence in hostilities between the neighboring countries, with escalating cross-border skirmishes as recent as late February, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. The implications of the airstrike signal an urgent need for de-escalation and dialogue between the two nations, especially amidst international calls for peace.
