Tragic Clash: Over 100 Lives Lost in Kabul Drug Rehab Centre Airstrike

Wed Mar 18 2026 02:18:52 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul has resulted in over 100 fatalities, with Afghan officials reporting far higher numbers. The incident has sparked international outrage and calls for urgent investigations.

In a devastating airstrike in Kabul, Pakistan targeted a drug treatment facility, resulting in at least 100 deaths. The Taliban has reported a significantly higher toll, complicating the narrative amid rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The UN has demanded an investigation, emphasizing the need to protect civilians amidst ongoing hostilities.

More than 100 people have been killed in a Pakistani air strike on a drug treatment centre in Afghanistan's capital, forensic laboratory sources informed the BBC.

Officials from the Kabul Forensic Medicine department indicated that several bodies were so severely injured they were beyond recognition. While Taliban officials have suggested that the death toll is much higher, the United Nations has called for a swift investigation into the attack.

Pakistan refuted claims of intentionally striking the facility, asserting that the operation targeted military installations and terrorist support networks.

This airstrike comes amid a resurgence of cross-border hostilities, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of harboring militant groups that threaten its security, a claim that Afghanistan denies.

The conflict escalated further last month, resulting in numerous casualties, with the UN reporting 75 people killed in Afghanistan due to cross-border clashes between February and mid-March.

According to the Taliban, the airstrike hit the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, which was reportedly housing around 2,000 patients when the incident occurred. Afghan health ministry officials emphasized that there were no military targets in proximity to the rehabilitation center.

Residents reported hearing explosions across Kabul, followed by subsequent aircraft activity and air defense responses. Relatives of those undergoing treatment rushed to the scene in search of information about their loved ones.

The Taliban's spokesman stated that the death toll could reach up to 400, although this has yet to be verified independently. Eyewitnesses confirmed seeing many bodies removed from the wreckage on stretchers.

Pakistan’s information ministry described the targeted strikes in Kabul as precise operations aimed at minimizing collateral damage, contesting Afghanistan's accusations as misinformation intended to provoke public sentiment and disguise support for cross-border terrorism.

This tragic incident underscores the intense and escalating conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with calls for de-escalation and adherence to international laws for civilian protection growing louder in the wake of this tragedy.