A deeply disturbing incident unfolded in Kabul just after the evening Iftar during Ramzan, leaving behind scenes of devastation, grief, and confusion. Afghanistan has accused Pakistan’s military of carrying out a deadly air strike on a hospital that was treating drug addiction patients, claiming that the attack killed at least 400 people.

According to Afghan authorities, the strike targeted the Omar Addiction Treatment Hospital, a major healthcare facility in the capital. However, Pakistan has strongly denied these allegations, calling them “false and aimed at misleading public opinion”, and insisted that its military only struck specific military targets in Kabul and Nangarhar province on Monday.

The attack reportedly took place at around 9pm local time, shortly after families had broken their fast. Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Taliban government, confirmed the timing and described the scale of destruction. The Omar hospital, which has a capacity of 2,000 beds, suffered severe damage, with large sections of the building reduced to rubble.

Providing further details, Fitrat stated, “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.” Rescue operations continued through the night as emergency workers struggled to manage the situation.

Local television footage showed firefighters battling intense flames rising from the remains of the hospital building. The visuals reflected the severity of the damage, with debris scattered and parts of the structure still smouldering.

Eyewitnesses described moments of fear and chaos just before the strike. Omid Stanikzai, a 31-year-old security guard working at the hospital, recalled hearing fighter jets circling overhead. He explained the sequence of events, saying, “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 further claimed that all those killed or injured were civilians, many of them patients receiving treatment.

Strong Condemnation and Rising Tensions

The hospital strike came at a time when tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan were already high. Earlier the same day, officials reported clashes along the shared border, which left four people dead inside Afghanistan. The ongoing conflict has now entered its third week, marking one of the most serious escalations between the two neighbours in recent years.

Zabihullah Mujahid, another spokesperson for the Afghan government, strongly condemned the attack. In a public statement, he said Pakistan had once again “violated Afghanistan’s airspace and targeted a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul”. He went on to describe the incident as “such an act to be against all accepted principles, and a crime against humanity”.

On the other side, Pakistan firmly rejected these accusations. Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, dismissed the claims as baseless and reiterated that no hospital had been targeted in Kabul.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information also issued a detailed statement defending the operation. It stated that the strikes had “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure, including technical equipment storage and ammunition storage of Afghan Taliban”, as well as locations linked to Afghanistan-based Pakistani fighters in Kabul and Nangarhar. According to the ministry, these sites were being used to plan and carry out attacks against innocent Pakistani civilians.

The ministry further stressed that the operation was conducted with care, stating that Pakistan’s targeting was “precise and carefully undertaken to ensure no collateral damage is inflicted”. It also accused Afghan officials of attempting to stir public anger, claiming that Mujahid’s statements were intended to hide what it described as the Taliban’s “illegitimate support for cross-border terrorism”.

These developments came shortly after the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution urging Afghanistan’s Taliban government to take immediate steps to counter terrorism. While the resolution did not directly name Pakistan, it strongly condemned “in the strongest terms all terrorist activity including terrorist attacks” originating from Afghan territory. The council also decided to extend the mandate of the UN political mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, for another three months.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership of providing shelter to armed groups, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and other militant organisations that target Pakistani civilians and security forces. Kabul, however, has consistently denied these allegations.

Conflict Escalates With No Clear End in Sight

The situation on the ground continues to worsen, with no immediate signs of peace. Earlier reports from Afghan officials stated that four people, including two children, were killed and 10 others injured in southeastern Afghanistan during cross-border shelling. Mortar rounds fired from Pakistan reportedly hit villages in Khost province, destroying several homes, according to Mustaghfar Gurbaz, a provincial spokesperson.

The current wave of violence began last month when Pakistan carried out air strikes inside Afghanistan, saying it was targeting armed groups. Afghanistan strongly opposed the action, calling it a violation of its sovereignty, and responded with its own military operations.

These clashes have effectively ended a ceasefire agreement brokered by Qatar in October, which had temporarily reduced violence after earlier fighting caused multiple casualties among soldiers and civilians.

Efforts to calm the situation have so far had limited success. China revealed that its special envoy spent a week attempting to mediate between the two sides and urged both countries to agree to an immediate ceasefire.

However, experts remain doubtful about any quick resolution. Michael Kugelman, a South Asia specialist from the Atlantic Council, explained the challenges, noting that “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 further warned of continued escalation, stating, “Pakistan appears intent to keep hitting targets in Afghanistan, and the Taliban is determined to retaliate with operations on Pakistani border posts, and, potentially, with asymmetric tactics – from launching drones to sponsoring militant attacks in wider Pakistan.” His conclusion painted a grim picture: “There are no off-ramps in sight.”

Meanwhile, both sides continue to present conflicting claims about casualties. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that the military had killed 684 Afghan Taliban fighters, a figure rejected by the Taliban government, which insists the number is much lower. Afghan officials, in turn, claim that more than 100 Pakistani soldiers have been killed in the fighting.

As violence continues to displace civilians, humanitarian concerns are also growing. The World Food Programme announced that it has begun efforts to provide “immediate lifesaving food” to more than 20,000 families forced to flee their homes due to the ongoing conflict.

With rising casualties, damaged infrastructure, and increasing displacement, the situation remains tense and uncertain, leaving ordinary civilians to bear the heaviest burden of a conflict that shows no clear path toward resolution.