A sharp escalation in tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan has triggered global concern after Kabul alleged that a devastating airstrike struck a major hospital in the Afghan capital late Monday night. According to officials in Kabul, at least 400 people were killed and around 250 injured when a drug rehabilitation facility was hit, causing widespread destruction across the 2,000-bed complex.

Afghan authorities, including government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, strongly condemned the attack, accusing Pakistan of deliberately targeting civilians and essential healthcare infrastructure. The Taliban administration described the strike as a “crime against humanity,” alleging that vulnerable patients undergoing treatment were among the victims. Deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat stated that the attack occurred around 9 pm local time, leaving large sections of the hospital in ruins.

Islamabad, however, firmly denied the allegations. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the military had conducted “precision airstrikes” aimed strictly at militant infrastructure in Kabul and Nangarhar Province. He maintained that only technical facilities and ammunition depots linked to insurgent groups were targeted, rejecting claims of civilian casualties as “baseless.”

The incident comes amid intensifying hostilities along the disputed border, where recent clashes have already claimed lives on both sides. The current phase of conflict began in late February following retaliatory cross-border strikes, unraveling a fragile ceasefire brokered by Qatar last year.

In a stark indication of deteriorating relations, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has declared that the two nations are effectively in a state of “open war.” As violence escalates, fears are mounting of a broader regional crisis with severe humanitarian consequences, particularly for civilians caught in the crossfire.

A sharp escalation in tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan has triggered global concern after Kabul alleged that a devastating airstrike struck a major hospital in the Afghan capital late Monday night. According to officials in Kabul, at least 400 people were killed and around 250 injured when a drug rehabilitation facility was hit, causing widespread destruction across the 2,000-bed complex.

Afghan authorities, including government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, strongly condemned the attack, accusing Pakistan of deliberately targeting civilians and essential healthcare infrastructure. The Taliban administration described the strike as a “crime against humanity,” alleging that vulnerable patients undergoing treatment were among the victims. Deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat stated that the attack occurred around 9 pm local time, leaving large sections of the hospital in ruins.

Islamabad, however, firmly denied the allegations. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the military had conducted “precision airstrikes” aimed strictly at militant infrastructure in Kabul and Nangarhar Province. He maintained that only technical facilities and ammunition depots linked to insurgent groups were targeted, rejecting claims of civilian casualties as “baseless.”

The incident comes amid intensifying hostilities along the disputed border, where recent clashes have already claimed lives on both sides. The current phase of conflict began in late February following retaliatory cross-border strikes, unraveling a fragile ceasefire brokered by Qatar last year.

In a stark indication of deteriorating relations, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has declared that the two nations are effectively in a state of “open war.” As violence escalates, fears are mounting of a broader regional crisis with severe humanitarian consequences, particularly for civilians caught in the crossfire.