Islamabad: Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan escalated after an alleged airstrike in Kabul on Monday night, with the Taliban government claiming heavy civilian casualties.
Taliban spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said the strike targeted a drug rehabilitation hospital, killing up to 400 people and injuring around 250 others. The facility, identified as the ‘Omid’ rehabilitation centre with a capacity of 2,000 beds, reportedly suffered extensive damage.
Another Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, shared visuals on social media, claiming that hundreds of patients were undergoing treatment at the time of the attack. Local television footage showed firefighting teams attempting to السيطرة flames and rescue victims from the debris.
However, Pakistan has rejected the allegations. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the claims as baseless.
Pakistan’s information ministry said its air force had targeted only “military positions and terrorist infrastructure,” which it alleged were being used to launch attacks against Pakistani citizens. Officials added that the operation was carried out with precision to avoid civilian casualties and termed the Taliban’s claims as misleading.
The incident has further strained already fragile ties between the two neighbouring countries, with both sides maintaining sharply contrasting versions of the events.
