400 killed after Pakistan airstrike hits Kabul rehab hospital; blasts reported as tensions with Taliban escalate

The death toll from a Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul has climbed to 400, with about 250 others injured, according to Taliban officials.

Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said the strike hit the 2,000-bed Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital at around 9 pm, leaving large sections of the facility destroyed. Rescue teams are still at the scene trying to control the fire and retrieve bodies from the rubble.

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The incident has sharply escalated tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban administration, with Kabul accusing Islamabad of targeting civilian infrastructure. The attack has raised serious concern among human rights groups and international observers because of the large number of civilians reported killed.

Fitrat said the airstrike caused extensive damage to the hospital, which is dedicated to treating people struggling with drug addiction. In a post on X, he said rescue workers were still searching the damaged building and feared the number of victims could rise further.

Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, said he was deeply concerned by the reports of civilian deaths. Offering condolences to the families of the victims, Bennett urged both sides to reduce tensions and respect international law, including the protection of hospitals and other civilian facilities.

Human rights organisations have also condemned the attack. The International Human Rights Foundation said hospitals and treatment centres must never be targeted, calling the strike a violation of international humanitarian law. The group urged the global community to launch an independent investigation and ensure accountability for those responsible.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid warned in an interview with Tolo News that diplomatic engagement with Pakistan had reached its limit and said the attack would have to be answered.

Afghanistan cricketer Rashid Khan also reacted to the reports, saying attacks on homes, schools and medical facilities amount to war crimes. In a post on X, he urged the United Nations and human rights bodies to probe the incident and support civilians affected by the violence.

I am deeply saddened by the latest reports of civilian casualties as a result of Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul. Targeting civilian homes, educational facilities or medical infrastructure, either intentional or by mistake, is a war crime. The sheer disregard for human lives,… pic.twitter.com/DbFRRh2qAJ

— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) March 16, 2026

Multiple explosions reported across Kabul

Separate reports indicated that the airstrike was part of a wider bombardment targeting areas in and around Kabul.

According to Khaama Press, Taliban officials and residents reported several explosions across the Afghan capital during the strikes. Videos shared by locals showed large fires and blasts in different parts of the city, with witnesses saying the explosions were powerful enough to shake nearby neighbourhoods.

The news outlet reported that Pakistani aircraft also bombed a Taliban military facility in the Ghani Khel district of Nangarhar province late on Monday night.

Cross-border tensions fuel fresh strikes

The bombardment followed reports that Taliban forces had launched drone attacks on areas inside Pakistan, raising tensions along the border.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the alleged drone strikes on civilian areas in Pakistan, saying the Afghan Taliban had crossed a “red line”, Khaama Press reported.

Clashes between Pakistani troops and Taliban fighters have increased in recent weeks, with civilians on both sides of the frontier caught in the violence.

Khaama Press also reported that China had attempted to mediate between Islamabad and Kabul, though Pakistan reportedly rejected the proposal.

The latest airstrikes underline the rapidly worsening relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban government, as both sides accuse each other of fuelling instability along the border.