Afghanistan says Pakistan hit Kabul rehab center killing 408, Islamabad rejects claim

Afghanistan says Pakistan hit Kabul rehab center killing 408, Islamabad rejects claim

An Afghan Taliban representative stated Tuesday that the strike marked the deadliest event since hostilities resumed in October 2025. Over 400 individuals perished, and 265 sustained injuries when Pakistan launched an aerial attack on a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul. The facility, according to the Taliban, was a 2,000-bed center operated by the state.

Pakistan swiftly disputed the accusation, asserting it had “accurately targeted military facilities and terrorist support structures.” The attack occurred at 9 p.m. local time on Monday, targeting Camp Phoenix, which the government described as a storage site for ammunition and equipment. A spokesperson for the Pakistani Information Ministry, Attaullah Tarar, noted “evident secondary explosions” following the strike, suggesting the presence of significant stockpiles.

China expressed readiness to resume mediation efforts to ease tensions between the two nations, urging them to return to talks. Earlier attempts by Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia had not resolved the dispute. The Taliban’s foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, declared Afghanistan had “lost confidence” in Pakistan’s commitment to a diplomatic resolution.

Kabul residents, including a Reuters correspondent, claimed the site was once a NATO base repurposed into a drug treatment center a decade ago. Locals referred to it as Omid Camp, or “camp of hope,” though its official designation was Ibn Sina Drug Addiction Treatment Hospital. Taliban officials clarified that Omid Hospital and Omid Camp were distinct entities, with the former being the targeted facility.

Witnesses reported three bombs detonating as people concluded evening prayers at the center. The blast ignited the structure, leaving a single-story building charred and reducing nearby buildings to piles of debris. A few bunk beds remained untouched, while personal items and blankets were scattered across the area. Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qanie confirmed 408 fatalities and 265 injuries, though exact casualty counts were not detailed.

Another Taliban official, Hafizullah Maroof, noted that at least 102 bodies were transported to Kabul’s Forensic Medical Department. Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesperson, stated the victims were primarily civilians and addicts. Reuters could not independently confirm the figures, as both sides claimed heavy damage but lacked external verification.

“The whole place caught fire. It was like doomsday,” said Ahmad, 5.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported dozens of casualties, calling for urgent de-escalation. The EU emphasized that civilian and medical sites are safeguarded under international law, describing the strike as “another lethal escalation” in a conflict requiring swift resolution. Susan Ferguson, UN Women’s Special Representative in Afghanistan, shared via video from New York that the scene was “devastating,” with families searching for loved ones amid the destruction.