Afghanistan airstrike hits civilian hospital with hundreds inside: What we know
Photo: 400 people were killed in hospital strike (Getty Images)
An airstrike destroyed a hospital building in Kabul (Afghanistan), where, according to various reports, hundreds of people were inside. A total of 408 people were killed, and another 265 were injured, Reuters reports.
The casualty figures were announced by Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qanie.
What is known about the strike
Explosions were heard at around 9:00 p.m. local time on Monday. Witnesses said they heard three blasts just as people inside the building were finishing evening prayers. According to them, two bombs hit rooms where people were present.
“The whole place caught fire. It was like doomsday," 50-year-old Ahmad told reporters.
The single-story building burned down, while other parts of the structure were left with heaps of wood and metal. In some places, a few bunk beds remained intact, with blankets and personal belongings scattered around.
"My friends were burning in the fire, and we could not save them all," Ahmad added.
What each side says
Deputy Taliban spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat wrote on X that the strike targeted the Omid state hospital, a rehabilitation center for drug addicts with a capacity of 2,000 people. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid clarified that most of the victims were civilians and patients.
Pakistan rejected this version as "false and misleading." The country’s Ministry of Information said the military had "precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure."
According to Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, there is a Camp Phoenix near the Omid hospital, the "military terrorist ammunition and equipment storage site," which he said was the actual target.
"The visible secondary detonations after the strikes clearly indicate the presence of large ammunition depots," Tarar wrote on X.
Reuters reports that around ten years ago, a drug treatment center was established on the site of the former NATO training base, Camp Phoenix. Locals referred to it as Camp Omid, or the "camp of hope." The facility’s official name is the Ibn Sina Drug Addiction Treatment Hospital.
According to residents, Omid Hospital and Camp Omid are separate sites and not connected.
The Norwegian Refugee Council said its staff visited the site in the morning and found hundreds of dead and injured.
The armed clashes between the two countries began in February, marking the worst escalation between the neighbors, who share a 2,600-kilometer border.
Islamabad accuses Kabul of harboring militants who carry out attacks in Pakistan. The Taliban deny these accusations and say the fight against militants is Pakistan’s internal issue.
From time to time, the countries attempt to negotiate ceasefires, but without success.
