Rising Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions After Deadly Airstrike Claims

A major overnight attack in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul has sharply escalated tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Afghan Taliban government has alleged that the strike was carried out by the Pakistani Air Force, targeting a drug rehabilitation hospital and resulting in heavy casualties. According to Taliban spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat, the attack led to the deaths of around 400 people, while nearly 250 others were injured. The strike reportedly hit the ‘Omid’ drug rehabilitation centre, a 2,000-bed facility in Kabul, causing extensive damage to the building. Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid shared a video on social media, stating that hundreds of patients were undergoing treatment at the time of the attack. Visuals aired by local television channels showed firefighting teams attempting to السيطرة flames and clear debris from the damaged structure. Pakistan, however, has strongly denied the allegations. Musharraf Zaidi, spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, termed the claims baseless. The Pakistani Ministry of Information clarified that its military operations were limited to targeting “military installations and terrorist-supporting infrastructure.” According to Pakistan, these locations were being used to launch attacks against Pakistani citizens. Officials further stated that the operation was conducted with precision to avoid civilian casualties and described the Taliban’s claims as misleading. The situation between the two neighbouring countries has been tense for the past three weeks and is now increasingly resembling an open conflict. Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari stated that drone attacks by the Taliban had crossed a “red line.” Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi said that war had been imposed on Afghanistan and that defending the country’s sovereignty was the duty of every citizen.