400 killed in a suspected Pakistani attack on a hospital in Kabul

The Afghan Taliban government states that more than 400 people have died and nearly 250 have been injured in an airstrike on the 'Omid' Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan. The attack occurred around 9:00 PM on March 16, 2026, and the majority of patients receiving treatment at the 2000-bed hospital fell victim to this tragedy.

Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of carrying out this attack. Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid and deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat strongly condemned the incident, stating that it was a violation of their airspace and a "crime against humanity" that massacred civilians, violating humanitarian principles. A large part of the hospital building has been destroyed in the attack, and relief teams are working tirelessly to extinguish the fire and search for bodies among the debris.

Eyewitnesses inside the hospital at the time of the attack say that three bombs exploded after the evening prayer. Ahmed, a 50-year-old patient receiving treatment at the hospital, stated that the entire area was engulfed in flames, and seeing his friends burning in the fire felt like the end of the world. Haji Faheem, an ambulance driver, reported seeing people burning everywhere and that searches are ongoing as bodies are still under the debris. A large number of family members are reportedly gathered at the hospital grounds, hoping to find out what happened to their loved ones or to recover their bodies.

However, the Pakistani government has strongly denied the accusation of killing civilians. The Pakistani Ministry of Information stated that their airstrikes precisely destroyed only terrorist camps and military targets located in Kabul and Nangarhar provinces. Pakistan further accuses Afghanistan of making false claims and disseminating misinformation to conceal their support for cross-border terrorism.

This attack has further escalated the existing crisis between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs also reacted strongly to the incident, stating that it was an unjustifiable, barbaric, and cowardly act. India has also accused Pakistan of attempting to portray this massacre as a military operation.