Pakistan Airstrike on Kabul Drug Rehab Centre Kills Hundreds

A Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, Afghanistan has been reported to have killed at least 100 people, with Afghan authorities and various international outlets describing the incident as one of the deadliest in the ongoing conflict between the two countries. The strike hit the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a facility that treated individuals struggling with drug addiction and housed thousands of patients at the time of the attack.

According to officials from the Afghan government, the airstrike occurred on the night of 16 March 2026 and struck the 2,000‑bed rehabilitation centre at around 9 p.m. local time. Large portions of the hospital were reportedly destroyed, and hundreds of patients and civilians were caught in the blast, resulting in a substantial number of fatalities and injuries. Rescue teams and firefighters were seen battling flames and attempting to recover victims from the rubble.

The Taliban government of Afghanistan accused Pakistan of deliberately targeting the civilian facility and condemned the strike as a crime against humanity, saying the majority of those affected were patients undergoing treatment rather than combatants. Afghan officials also stated that there were no military facilities near the hospital and demanded accountability for the attack.

Pakistan denied targeting a civilian site, stating instead that its airstrikes were focused on military installations and infrastructure used by insurgent groups. Pakistani authorities asserted that secondary explosions near the strike area indicated the presence of ammunition depots and terrorist support infrastructure, and dismissed claims that civilians were intentionally hit. The ministry described Afghan allegations as misleading and aimed at stirring public sentiment.

The airstrike represents a significant escalation in tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which have experienced cross‑border clashes and mutual accusations of supporting militant groups since late February 2026. Diplomatic efforts, including mediation attempts by other countries, have struggled to reduce hostilities.