Pakistan-Afghanistan Conflict Escalates, Hospital Strike Fuels Tensions
Kabul, Afghanistan – A Pakistani airstrike that hit a hospital in the Afghan capital Kabul has reportedly killed 400 people, according to Afghanistan’s Deputy Government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat. The strike, which occurred Monday night, targeted a facility treating drug users and caused extensive damage, with another 250 injured, Fitrat said in a post on X.
The escalating violence between Pakistan and Afghanistan entered a third week, marked by cross-border fire and retaliatory airstrikes. Pakistan maintains its strikes targeted military installations and terrorist infrastructure used by groups operating against Pakistan, including the Pakistani Taliban and Baloch separatists.
“The strikes precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure… in Kabul and Nangarhar,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Information stated on X, adding that the targeting was “precise and carefully undertaken to ensure no collateral damage is inflicted.”
However, Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of deliberately targeting civilian sites. Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman stated during a local television interview that all parts of the drug treatment hospital were destroyed. Footage posted by local television stations showed firefighters battling flames amidst the ruins.
Pakistan has dismissed the allegations, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesman, Mosharraf Zaidi, stating no hospital was targeted.
The conflict stems from Pakistan’s accusations that Afghanistan provides safe haven to militant groups, a charge Kabul denies. The Pakistani Taliban, designated a terrorist organization by the United States, frequently carries out attacks inside Pakistan.
The United Nations Security Council recently called on Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to increase efforts to combat terrorism, though the resolution did not specifically mention Pakistan.
Earlier this week, four people, including two children, were killed in southeastern Afghanistan following an exchange of fire. Pakistan also reported four deaths in its northwestern Bajaur district, allegedly from a mortar fired from Afghanistan.
Islamabad has described the situation as an “open war,” with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari stating Afghanistan’s Taliban administration crossed a “red line” by deploying drones that injured civilians in Pakistan.
The current clashes disrupt a ceasefire brokered by Qatar in October, following earlier fighting that resulted in numerous casualties. Pakistan claims to have killed 684 Afghan Taliban forces, a claim rejected by Afghanistan, which asserts its casualties are far lower, reporting over 100 Pakistani soldiers killed.
The escalating conflict raises concerns about regional stability and the humanitarian impact on civilians caught in the crossfire. The situation remains volatile as both sides continue to accuse each other of aggression and supporting militant groups.