Afghan 'Airstrike kills 400 in hospital'... Pakistan rebuts 'false' claims
The Taliban claims that an airstrike by Pakistan resulted in hundreds of casualties at a hospital in Kabul, a claim strongly denied by the Pakistani government.
The Taliban government in Afghanistan has alleged that a Pakistani airstrike led to hundreds of casualties at the Amida rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, with reports of around 400 lives lost and 250 injuries being cited. Taliban spokesman Hanifullah Pitrat condemned the attack, describing it as a serious breach of international norms and an act against humanity. Rescuers are currently searching the rubble for survivors and bodies, amidst harrowing eyewitness accounts detailing the destruction of the single-story building and the tragedy on scene.
In contrast, the Pakistani government has categorically denied these claims. Pakistan's intelligence services stated that they successfully executed a precision airstrike on the night of 16th, targeting military facilities associated with the Taliban regime in Kabul and Nangarhar. They labeled the Taliban's account of the hospital strike as propaganda and insisted that their operations were conducted with care to avoid collateral damage. They accused the Taliban of distorting the nature of the facilities targeted to conceal their illegal actions of supporting cross-border terrorism.
This incident follows a period of heightened tensions, with the Pakistani government attributing recent bomb attacks in its territory to the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), which operates from Afghanistan. The situation has drawn international attention, with China expressing a desire for mediation and urging both countries to pursue a ceasefire. The ongoing conflict underlines the fragile security situation in the region, complicating diplomatic relations and humanitarian considerations.