Afghanistan says Pakistan hit Kabul rehab center killing 408, Islamabad rejects claim
Afghanistan says Pakistan hit Kabul rehab center killing 408, Islamabad rejects claim
Clashes escalate as accusations fly
On Monday night, Pakistan’s military conducted airstrikes in Kabul, reportedly striking a facility described as a drug rehabilitation center. The Afghan Taliban government claimed the attack resulted in 408 deaths and 265 injuries, marking the deadliest incident since hostilities began in October 2025. However, Islamabad swiftly dismissed the allegations, asserting that its strikes targeted military sites and terrorist support structures.
Conflicting accounts of the target
Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, stated on X that the Omid Hospital—officially known as the Ibn Sina Drug Addiction Treatment Hospital—was miles from the actual target, Camp Phoenix. He emphasized that the “visible secondary detonations” after the strikes “clearly indicate the presence of large ammunition depots.” In contrast, the Taliban’s deputy spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat, claimed the facility hit was a 2,000-bed state-run drug rehabilitation center. He noted the attack occurred at 9 p.m. local time (12:30 p.m. ET), during evening prayers.
Local perspectives and aftermath
Residents of Kabul, including a Reuters journalist, described Camp Phoenix as an abandoned NATO base repurposed into a drug treatment center around ten years ago. Locals referred to it as Omid Camp, or “camp of hope,” despite its official designation. Witnesses reported three bombs detonating as people completed their evening prayers, with two hitting patient areas and rooms. Ahmad, a 50-year-old survivor, recounted the chaos: “The whole place caught fire. It was like doomsday. My friends were burning in the fire, and we could not save them all.”
International reactions and casualty verification
Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qanie confirmed 408 fatalities and 265 wounded, though details on how casualties were tallied remained unclear. The Taliban added that most victims were civilians and addicts. Reuters could not independently verify the figures. The Norwegian Refugee Council, an independent aid group, reported seeing numerous casualties at the hospital. It urged that “civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be targeted.” Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) stated dozens were killed and injured, calling for immediate de-escalation.
Broader context of the conflict
Pakistan’s prime minister’s spokesperson, Mosharraf Zaidi, labeled the Afghan claim as “lies,” insisting the country’s “counterterrorism operations” would persist until “terrorists and their infrastructure” were eradicated. He mentioned six strikes conducted on Monday night, including Camp Phoenix, which he said served as a training ground for militants and a weapon storage site. The ongoing conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan has intensified, with each side accusing the other of harboring terrorists. Islamabad argues Kabul provides safe haven for militants attacking its borders, while the Taliban maintains this is Pakistan’s internal issue.
As tensions mount, both nations face pressure to resolve the crisis, with China recently advocating for renewed diplomatic efforts to ease the situation. The shared 2,600-kilometer border remains a focal point of the escalating dispute.
