Afghanistan: Pakistan hit Kabul rehab centre killing more than 400

Kabul — More than 400 people were killed and 265 wounded in an airstrike by Pakistan on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, a spokesperson of the Afghan Taliban government said recently, in the deadliest incident since fighting between the two began in October last year.

Pakistan rejected the statement as ⁠false and misleading and said it had “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure” on Monday night.

The airstrike on Kabul came hours after China said it was ready to continue mediating efforts to ease tensions and urged both states to return to negotiations.

Mediation efforts by Qatar, Turkey ​and Saudi Arabia had previously failed.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s foreign minister, said Afghanistan had lost trust in Pakistan’s intentions regarding a diplomatic solution, according to a statement from his office.

The conflict is the worst between the South Asian Islamic neighbours, who share a 2,600-kilometer (1,600-mile) border.

Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesman for the Taliban, said in a post on X the airstrike took place at 9 p.m. (12:30 p.m. ET) on Monday and targeted the state-run Omid Hospital, which he said was a 2,000-bed drug rehabilitation ⁠centre.

The Pakistani information ministry said Omid Hospital was miles away from Camp Phoenix, the “military terrorist ammunition and equipment storage site” that it said was targeted.

“The visible secondary detonations after the strikes ​clearly indicate the presence of large ammunition depots,” Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a post on X.

Kabul residents, including a Reuters journalist, said Camp Phoenix, an abandoned NATO military base in the city, was converted into a drug treatment centre about a decade ago, and locals referred to it as Omid Camp, or “camp ⁠of hope,” although its official name was “Ibn Sina Drug Addiction Treatment Hospital.” (CNN)

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