Kabul, Afghanistan, Mar 17: The death toll from an airstrike by Pakistan on a Kabul hospital treating drug users has risen to 400, with an additional 250 reported injured, Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said early Tuesday. The strike on Monday night destroyed large sections of the hospital, and rescue teams are struggling to control fires and recover victims.
Afghanistan’s Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman confirmed the complete destruction of the facility, while government spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid condemned the attack as a violation of Afghan territory. Most of the casualties were patients receiving treatment at the hospital.
Pakistan, however, dismissed the allegations, stating that its strikes targeted military installations and militant infrastructure in Kabul and eastern Afghanistan, and that no civilian sites, including hospitals, were hit. The Pakistani Ministry of Information described Afghan claims as “false and misleading,” aimed at covering “illegitimate support for cross-border terrorism.”
The attack occurred amid ongoing cross border clashes between the two neighbors. Afghan officials reported that mortar fire from Pakistan had killed four civilians, including two children, in Khost Province, while Pakistani authorities said a mortar from Afghanistan hit a house in Bajaur district, killing four family members.
The fighting, described by Islamabad as an “open war,” began in late February, following repeated exchanges of fire and airstrikes targeting militant positions. Recent U.N. Security Council statements urged Afghanistan’s Taliban administration to strengthen counter terrorism measures, condemning all terrorist activity.
Afghan officials emphasized that defending sovereignty is a national duty and expressed regret over civilian casualties caused by the ongoing Pakistani attacks. Both sides continue to report high militant and civilian losses, further escalating tensions along the border.