400 Feared Dead in Kabul Bombing as Pakistan-Taliban Tensions Explode

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities say the death toll from a reported Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul has climbed to around 400, with approximately 250 others injured. Deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said the strike took place at about 9:00 PM, targeting the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a large 2,000-bed center. According to him, significant parts of the complex were destroyed, while emergency teams have been working through the aftermath to extinguish fires and recover bodies from the debris.

Fitrat described the attack as a direct hit on a civilian medical facility dedicated to treating drug addiction, warning that casualties could rise further as rescue operations continue. The scale of destruction has raised serious concerns over the number of victims, many of whom were patients undergoing treatment at the time of the strike.

International reaction was swift. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, expressed alarm at reports of civilian casualties, offering condolences to victims’ families and urging restraint. He called on both Kabul and Islamabad to de-escalate tensions and respect international law, particularly the obligation to protect civilians and infrastructure such as hospitals.

Condemnation also came from the International Human Rights Foundation, which stressed that medical and humanitarian facilities must never be targeted. The organization called for an independent international investigation and accountability, underlining that attacks on hospitals constitute a clear breach of international humanitarian law. It further warned against global inaction in the face of such incidents.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid signaled a sharp escalation in rhetoric, stating that diplomatic avenues with Pakistan had been exhausted and warning that the attack would need to be avenged. Afghan officials have repeatedly accused Pakistan in the past of striking civilian areas, including incidents affecting women and children across several provinces.

Public figures joined the reaction, with Afghan cricketer Rashid Khan voicing strong condemnation. He described the targeting of civilian homes, schools and medical facilities as a war crime, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan. He called for a thorough international investigation and accountability, while expressing solidarity with the Afghan population and warning that such actions would deepen divisions.

India also raised the issue at the United Nations, criticizing Pakistan over reported airstrikes in Afghanistan during Ramadan and linking them to broader concerns, including the deportation of Afghan nationals. India’s UN envoy pointed to what he described as a pattern of actions by Islamabad, warning against the politicization of religious identity and calling for greater international attention.

Pakistan, however, has firmly denied striking the hospital. Officials and security sources dismissed the Taliban’s claims as baseless, with some describing them as “ridiculous.” According to Pakistani accounts, the air operations targeted Taliban-linked military infrastructure, including technical facilities and ammunition depots in Kabul and Nangarhar. Authorities insisted the strikes were precise and designed to avoid civilian harm, accusing the Taliban of spreading misinformation to inflame anti-Pakistan sentiment and conceal alleged support for cross-border militancy.

Reports from regional media indicate that multiple locations were hit, including sites in Kabul and four positions in Nangarhar province linked to Taliban forces. Additional claims suggest that infrastructure such as logistics hubs and storage facilities was destroyed. At the same time, Afghan sources reported damage to residential areas, with dozens of homes affected and several buildings sustaining structural damage from the explosions.

The escalation appears tied to a broader cycle of cross-border attacks. Afghan outlets reported that Taliban forces had launched drone strikes into Pakistani territory, prompting retaliatory action. Pakistan’s president, Asif Ali Zardari, condemned those alleged incursions, saying they crossed a “red line.”

The humanitarian impact is also becoming increasingly visible. According to officials cited by Afghan media, around 7,500 families have been displaced in parts of Kunar province near the Durand Line due to ongoing Pakistani artillery fire. Residents described widespread destruction of homes and loss of livestock, saying they have been forced to live in temporary shelters for nearly two weeks, unable to return amid continued shelling.