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Kabul strike marks deadliest attack since February conflict escalation
An air strike on Kabul on Monday has become the deadliest single incident since hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan reignited in February, with casualties exceeding 140, according to the United Nations.
Conflicting narratives emerge within hours
Within hours of explosions rocking the Afghan capital, both governments took to social media to accuse each other of violating sovereignty and targeting civilians.
The Taliban's spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed Pakistan's military had bombed a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, killing and injuring patients undergoing treatment. He called the attack a "crime against humanity."
"The Pakistani military regime has once again violated Afghanistan's airspace and targeted a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, resulting in the death and injury of addicts who were undergoing treatment."
Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban spokesperson
Pakistan denies civilian casualties, cites counterterrorism operation
Pakistan's Ministry of Information dismissed the Taliban's claims as "propaganda," asserting that the strikes precisely targeted military installations and terrorist infrastructure in Kabul and Nangarhar. A post from an account identified as "Fact Checker MOIB" stated the operation aimed to dismantle ammunition storage and technical equipment used against Pakistani civilians.
"On night 16 March, Pakistan precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure... that were being used against innocent Pakistani civilians."
Pakistan Ministry of Information
Pakistan's military spokesman, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, later suggested the rehabilitation center may have been a training facility for suicide bombers, though he provided no evidence. The BBC reported in 2023 that the center, operating for a decade at a former military site, housed recovering addicts.
Death toll disputed as UN verifies 143 fatalities
By Tuesday morning, Taliban officials claimed over 400 deaths, a figure the BBC could not independently confirm. Local sources reported at least 100 fatalities. The United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) later verified 143 deaths and 119 injuries at the site, warning the toll could rise as assessments continue.
Despite media and UN reports indicating civilian casualties, Pakistan's military has not acknowledged harm to non-combatants.
Escalating rhetoric reflects deepening rift
The strike underscores the increasingly hostile dynamic between the two neighbors, marked by reciprocal attacks and uncompromising language. Pakistan frames the conflict as a counterterrorism imperative, citing a surge in militant violence in 2025-the deadliest year in a decade, per Islamabad-based think tank the Centre for Research and Security Studies. Pakistan accuses the Taliban government of harboring groups responsible for attacks on its soil, allegations both Kabul and India vehemently deny.
Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesman for Pakistan's prime minister, stated the country faces "an Afghan-Taliban regime problem" and an "India hegemony problem," vowing to address both without apology. "The era of Pakistani officials apologizing for defending their people is over," he said.
Taliban vows retaliation, mediators urge ceasefire
The Taliban, which denies supporting cross-border militancy, frames its actions as defensive. Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob warned earlier this month that Islamabad would face reciprocal strikes if attacks on Kabul continued. "They should not think they can martyr people in Kabul... while remaining safe in Islamabad," he told Tolo News.
Three days before Monday's strike, the Taliban claimed to have launched drones into Islamabad, which Pakistan said it intercepted. Pakistan's president called the move a "red line" violation.
In the aftermath, Mujahid promised a "severe response," while Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, in Eid prayers, declared defiance: "Let them bomb, let them fire rockets... by God, nothing will change in us."
Diplomatic pause offers slim hope for de-escalation
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey have urged both sides to observe a temporary ceasefire during Eid al-Fitr, though early reports suggest violations. Mediators hope the pause may create space for dialogue, but entrenched positions and escalating attacks leave little room for reconciliation.
As both governments double down on military and rhetorical offensives, analysts warn the conflict risks spiraling further, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence.
