Pakistan-Afghanistan War: At least 400 people were killed after an airstrike by Pakistan struck a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul, Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesman said on Tuesday. The strike occurred around 9:00 pm local time on Monday, when loud explosions reverberated across the Afghan capital. The blasts triggered anti-aircraft fire, sending residents scrambling for safety. Many were outdoors at the time, having stepped out after breaking their daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
Hospital ‘Completely Destroyed’: Afghanistan Health Ministry
Afghanistan’s Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said the targeted facility, a treatment centre for drug addicts, was entirely destroyed in the attack.
“All parts of the drug treatment hospital had been destroyed,” he said, underlining the scale of devastation caused by the strike.
BREAKING: Afghanistan’s Health Ministry reports that at least 200 people were killed and hundreds of others injured after Pakistani airstrikes targeted a drug‑rehabilitation hospital in Kabul. pic.twitter.com/EEOrSfrFom
— World Source News (@Worldsource24) March 16, 2026
Taliban Accuses Pakistan of Airspace Violation
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistan of carrying out the strike, alleging a violation of Afghanistan’s airspace.
In a post on X, Mujahid said, “We strongly condemn this crime and consider such an act to be against all accepted principles and a crime against humanity.”
Pakistan Rejects Taliban’s Allegations
Pakistan, however, denied the accusations. According to the country’s information ministry, the claim that its airstrikes hit a hospital in Kabul is “false and misleading,” Reuters reported.
Pakistan-Afghanistan War
The latest airstrike comes just hours after Afghan and Pakistani forces exchanged fire along the border, leaving four people dead in Afghanistan. The ongoing clashes, now in their third week, mark the deadliest fighting between the two nations in recent years.
Cricketer Rashid Khan Condemns Civilian Casualties
Afghanistan cricketer Rashid Khan strongly criticised the reported airstrikes, expressing anguish over civilian casualties.
“I am deeply saddened by the latest reports of civilian casualties as a result of Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul. Targeting civilian homes, educational facilities or medical infrastructure, either intentional or by mistake, is a war crime. The sheer disregard for human lives, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, is sickening and deeply concerning,” he wrote on X.
Khan further called for international intervention, adding, “It will only fuel division and hatred. I call upon the UN and other human rights agencies to thoroughly investigate this latest atrocity and hold the perpetrators to account. I stand with my Afghan people in this difficult time. We shall heal, and we will rise as a nation. We always do.”
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
