400 killed in Afghanistan in air strikes by Pakistan; PAF targets hospital, other areas in Kabul
Pakistan carried out airstrikes against Afghanistan once again on Monday night. Fighter jets of the Pakistan Air Force targeted several areas of the capital, Kabul—including a hospital. 400 people were killed in these strikes, while more than 250 sustained injuries.
According to reports, sounds of explosions and gunfire were heard at multiple locations in and around Darul Aman, Arzan Qimat, Khair Khana, and the Kabul International Airport.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban government, alleged that the Pakistani military dropped bombs on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul.
Strongly condemning the attack, the Taliban termed it a crime against humanity and stated that Pakistan had violated Afghanistan's airspace.
Pakistan's Ministry of Information has denied targeting a hospital. The ministry states that the attack targeted military bases and 'terrorist hideouts' in Kabul and the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar.
Pakistan terms allegations as baseless
Meanwhile, Musharraf Zaidi, the spokesperson for Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, termed these allegations baseless and stated that no hospital in Kabul was targeted.
Hamdullah Fitrat, the Deputy Spokesperson for the Afghan government, stated on the social media platform X that the attack occurred around 9 PM local time. According to media reports, the hospital is a 2,000-bed facility. It has sustained extensive damage.
When media teams arrived at the scene, parts of the hospital were still engulfed in flames. More than 30 bodies were being carried out on stretchers. Hospital officials said that there was a very high number of patients present, suggesting that the death toll and the number of injured could be substantial.
Afghan Cricketer Rashid Khan Calls on UN to Investigate
Afghan cricketer Rashid Khan has strongly condemned the Pakistani attacks. Writing on social media, he expressed that the people are deeply distressed by the recent airstrikes in Kabul. These attacks claimed the lives of numerous civilians. Some of the strikes occurred in the vicinity of homes, schools, and hospitals.
Attacking civilian areas is considered a war crime under international law, regardless of whether it is carried out intentionally or by mistake. Such incidents—particularly during the holy month of Ramadan—have fueled even greater sorrow and outrage among the public.
People have called upon the United Nations (UN) and human rights organizations to conduct a thorough investigation into this matter and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.