Outrage erupts after a Pakistani airstrike on a Kabul drug rehabilitation centre kills at least 400 civilians. Afghan leaders, activists, cricketers and global observers condemn the strike and demand accountability.
A wave of outrage is sweeping across Afghanistan and beyond after a devastating airstrike in Kabul that officials say has killed at least 400 people, many of them patients undergoing treatment at a drug rehabilitation centre. The attack, blamed by Afghan authorities on Pakistan’s military, has triggered condemnation from political leaders, human rights groups, and public figures, with critics accusing Islamabad and Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir of targeting one of the most vulnerable groups in society.
Rehab Centre Turned Into Mass Casualty Site
The strike hit a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul late Monday evening, just after residents across the Afghan capital had broken their daily Ramadan fast.
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Witnesses described hearing the sound of a jet circling above the city moments before explosions tore through the area around 9:00 pm local time. Anti-aircraft guns responded shortly afterward as residents rushed for safety.
When the firing subsided nearly an hour later, rescue teams rushed to the scene.
Journalists who reached the facility described a grim sight: burning buildings, ambulances rushing in, and medical workers pulling bodies from the rubble.
“The Pakistani military regime carried out an airstrike at approximately 9:00 PM this evening on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a 2,000-bed facility dedicated to the treatment of drug addiction. As a result of the attack, large sections of the hospital have been destroyed, and there are serious concerns about a high number of casualties. Unfortunately, the death toll has so far reached 400, while around 250 others have been reported injured. Rescue teams are currently at the scene working to control the fire and recover the remaining bodies of the victims,” Deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat wrote in a post on X.
Witness: ‘All The Victims Were Civilians’
Survivors insist the victims were not combatants but people seeking medical treatment.
Omid Stanikzai, a security guard at the rehabilitation centre, described the terrifying moment the strike occurred.
“I heard the sound of the jet patrolling. There were military units all around us. When these military units fired on the jet, the jet dropped bombs and a fire broke out.”
He said the facility housed patients battling drug addiction and trying to rebuild their lives.
“All of the dead and injured were civilians.”
‘Act Of Inhumanity’: Afghan Government Responds
The Taliban government strongly condemned the attack and accused Pakistan of violating Afghan sovereignty. Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistan had “once again violated Afghan territory,” calling the strikes “a crime” and “an act of inhumanity.”
The airstrike comes amid escalating tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with cross-border clashes intensifying in recent weeks.
Pakistan Denies Targeting Civilian Facility
Pakistan rejected the allegations that it deliberately bombed a medical centre.
In a statement, the information ministry said the military had conducted precision strikes against “military installations and terrorist support infrastructure.”
Officials maintained that “Pakistan's targeting is precise and carefully undertaken to ensure no collateral damage is inflicted.”
Pakistan added it also hit targets on Monday in the eastern border province of Nangarhar, which was also being used "against innocent Pakistani civilians".
Also read: 400 killed in Pakistan's airstrike on Kabul rehab centre: Taliban
Human Rights Groups Demand Probe
The International Human Rights Foundation condemned the reported strike and urged an independent investigation.
In a statement, the organisation said: “Facilities dedicated to treatment, rehabilitation, and humanitarian care must never become targets in any conflict or security operation.”
It added that patients undergoing treatment are among the most vulnerable members of society.
“Patients in such institutions are among the most vulnerable members of society — individuals who came seeking help, dignity, and a chance to rebuild their lives.”
The group said it was deeply disturbed by reports that many victims were unarmed civilians undergoing treatment.
It called for:
- An independent international investigation
- Accountability for those responsible
- Immediate protection of medical and rehabilitation facilities
The organisation warned: “Attacks on medical institutions violate the most basic principles of international humanitarian law and human rights norms. The world must not remain silent when places of healing are turned into sites of tragedy.”
Karzai Issues Strong Warning To Pakistan
Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai also condemned the attack in strong terms.
“Hamid Karzai, the former president, strongly condemns in the harshest terms the intense and heavy bombardment tonight, carried out by Pakistani air forces on residential areas and civilian sites—including medical centres—in the city of Kabul, the capital of our beloved country, which resulted in casualties and loss of life and property among the civilian population.”
He warned Pakistan’s leadership that continued strikes would worsen the crisis.
“He warns the military rulers of Pakistan that continuing these attacks will not only fail to achieve their objectives but will also lead to a worsening of the situation to the detriment of their own country.”
Karzai also urged Islamabad to reconsider its policies toward Afghanistan.
“The former president once again emphasizes that if Pakistan seeks its own good and regional stability, it must review its misguided policies and engage with Afghanistan within the framework of neighbourly principles and civilized relations.”
Afghan Cricketers Condemn Attack
The tragedy has also sparked emotional reactions across Afghan society, including from national cricket stars Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi.
Growing Anger Against Pakistan’s Military Leadership
The scale of the casualties has triggered fierce criticism of Pakistan’s military leadership, with many Afghan voices directly blaming Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Across social media, the phrase “Shame on Asim Munir” began trending as users condemned the strike and demanded international action. Several irked users even called the Pakistan army chief ‘genocider’.
Here's a look at some of the reactions:
Expert Warns of Escalating Pakistan-Afghanistan Conflict
South Asia expert Michael Kugelman, from the Atlantic Council international affairs think-tank, told AFP the fighting showed little sign of ending soon.
"The Arab Gulf nations that mediated previous rounds of Afghanistan-Pakistan talks are now bogged down by their own war. Other mediators, including China, have had limited success," he said.
"Pakistan appears intent to keep hitting targets in Afghanistan, and the Taliban determined to retaliate with operations on Pakistani border posts and potentially with asymmetric tactics -- from launching drones to sponsoring militant attacks in wider Pakistan.
"There are no off-ramps in sight."
(With inputs from AFP)
