Pakistan vs Afghanistan War Live Updates: ‘Blatant violation of humanitarian norms,’ Mirwais Ashraf on Kabul hospital strike

Pakistan-Afghanistan War Today Live News Updates: The International Human Rights Foundation has condemned the reported bombardment of a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, saying facilities for treatment and humanitarian care must never be targeted in conflict. In a statement, the organisation called for an independent international investigation into the incident, accountability for those responsible, and immediate steps to protect medical and rehabilitation facilities, warning that such attacks violate basic principles of international humanitarian law. 400 people killed: At least 400 people were killed in a Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul late on Monday, Afghanistan’s Taliban government said. According to deputy government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat, about 250 more people were reported injured in the airstrike that hit the hospital around 9 pm local time, destroying large portions of the 2,000-bed facility. Pakistan however dismissed the allegation, saying no hospital was targeted in Kabul. Rescue operation: Fitrat said rescue teams were dispatched and were working to control the fire and recover the bodies. Local media posted clips on X showing security forces using flashlights while carried the bodies out while firefighters struggled to extinguish flames among the ruins of a building. What Pakistan says: Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned attack and accused Pakistan of “targeting hospitals and civilian sites to perpetrate horrors”. Before Afghan officials released a death toll, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said the strikes “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure including technical equipment storage and ammunition storage of Afghan Taliban” and Afghanistan-based Pakistani militants in Kabul and Nangarhar. It alleged that the facilities were being used against innocent Pakistani civilians and said Pakistan’s strikes were “precise and carefully undertaken to ensure no collateral damage is inflicted”. Rescue crews were still digging bodies out of the rubble of a drug rehabilitation hospital in the Afghan capital on Tuesday morning, after officials there said that an overnight Pakistani airstrike killed at least 400 people in a dramatic escalation of a conflict between the two neighbors that is now in its third week.Pakistan has denied Afghanistan’s accusation that it targeted a hospital, insisting that its strikes, which were also conducted in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, were aimed at military facilities. It dismissed Afghanistan's claims of hundreds of casualties from a strike on a hospital as being propaganda.The casualties were taken to several hospitals in the area. It wasn't immediately possible to independently confirm the death toll. — AP Afghanistan cricketer Mohammad Nabi has strongly condemned the reported strike on a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, describing it as a devastating attack on civilians. In a post on X, Nabi said “hope was extinguished at a hospital,” adding that young men seeking treatment were killed in a bombing he attributed to the Pakistani military. He described scenes of mothers waiting outside the facility, calling out their sons’ names, and said the incident had turned a moment of faith into mourning on the 28th night of Ramadan. His remarks reflect growing reactions from Afghan public figures over the reported civilian toll. Pakistan has denied targeting civilian infrastructure, saying its strikes were aimed at militant-linked sites. > Innocent people lost their dear lives on the eve of Lailatul QadrWe strongly condemn the targeting of an innocent civilian rehabilitation hospital. This barbaric act by the Pakistani military regime during the holy month of Ramadan is a blatant violation of humanitarian norms… pic.twitter.com/ISMgQ3LBR2— Mirwais Ashraf ‘میرویس اشرف (@MirwaisAshraf16) March 17, 2026 Innocent people lost their dear lives on the eve of Lailatul QadrWe strongly condemn the targeting of an innocent civilian rehabilitation hospital. This barbaric act by the Pakistani military regime during the holy month of Ramadan is a blatant violation of humanitarian norms… pic.twitter.com/ISMgQ3LBR2 India has condemned the reported airstrike on a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, calling it an “unconscionable act of violence” that killed a large number of civilians. In a statement, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the attack during Ramzan made it “all the more reprehensible,” and urged the international community to hold those responsible accountable. It also expressed condolences to victims’ families and reiterated support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. > Our statement on Pakistan’s cowardly targeting of Kabul Hospital🔗 https://t.co/uYbQhhc8MC pic.twitter.com/KVEaLyBtTB— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) March 17, 2026 Our statement on Pakistan’s cowardly targeting of Kabul Hospital🔗 https://t.co/uYbQhhc8MC pic.twitter.com/KVEaLyBtTB Afghanistan cricketer Rahmanullah Gurbaz has reacted to reports of a hospital strike in Kabul, questioning the international community’s response. In a post on X, Gurbaz said, “Where is international law now? Where is humanity now?” as he highlighted the loss of civilian lives and called attention to the humanitarian impact of the incident. > A hospital bombed in Afghanistan during Ramadan by Pakistan…Where is international law now? Where is humanity now?How many innocent lives must be lost before the world speaks? 💔 pic.twitter.com/uKqz7mqjxL— Rahmanullah Gurbaz (@RGurbaz_21) March 17, 2026 A hospital bombed in Afghanistan during Ramadan by Pakistan…Where is international law now? Where is humanity now?How many innocent lives must be lost before the world speaks? 💔 pic.twitter.com/uKqz7mqjxL The Afghanistan Cricket Board has condemned the reported attack on a rehabilitation facility in Kabul, expressing solidarity with victims and their families. In a statement, the board said what should have been moments of joy ahead of Eid had turned into grief, adding that the loss of lives had left families devastated. It described the incident as deeply saddening and called for prayers for those killed and injured. China has stepped up diplomatic efforts to ease tensions, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaking to his Afghan and Pakistani counterparts over the past week, according to BBC. Calling for a ceasefire “at the earliest opportunity”, Beijing on Monday urged both countries to “remain calm and exercise restraint” and engage in face-to-face talks as soon as possible, BBC reported. There were no military installations near the targeted hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan’s health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman Amarkhail told the BBC, contradicting Pakistan’s claim that its strikes hit military infrastructure. Residents reported hearing loud explosions across Kabul at around 8:50 pm local time, followed by the sound of aircraft and air defence systems, BBC reported. Family members of patients gathered outside the hospital, searching for information about their loved ones amid the chaos. The reported airstrike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, which Afghanistan has blamed on Pakistan, marks a major escalation in tensions that have been building since late February, when cross-border strikes and retaliatory attacks resumed. Pakistan, however, has maintained that its forces targeted Afghan Taliban military installations and “technical support infrastructure” in Kabul and Nangarhar, not civilian sites, Dawn reported, citing security sources. The conflict has since intensified with repeated exchanges along the border, the collapse of a Qatar-brokered ceasefire, and both sides trading allegations over support to militant groups. Pakistan has declared it is in “open war,” while Afghanistan has accused Islamabad of targeting civilian infrastructure . The reported airstrike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, which Afghanistan has blamed on Pakistan, marks a major escalation in tensions that have been building since late February, when cross-border strikes and retaliatory attacks resumed . The conflict has since intensified with repeated exchanges along the border, the collapse of a Qatar-brokered ceasefire, and both sides trading allegations over support to militant groups. Pakistan has declared it is in “open war,” while Afghanistan has accused Islamabad of targeting civilian infrastructure . The International Human Rights Foundation has condemned the reported bombardment of a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, saying facilities for treatment and humanitarian care must never be targeted in conflict. In a statement, the organisation called for an independent international investigation into the incident, accountability for those responsible, and immediate steps to protect medical and rehabilitation facilities, warning that such attacks violate basic principles of international humanitarian law. > Statement by the International Human Rights Foundation (IHRF)The International Human Rights Foundation strongly condemns the reported bombardment by Pakistan of a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan treating drug addicts, an attack that has reportedly killed a large… pic.twitter.com/wbaM3Y2nvT— International Human Rights Foundation (@IHRF_English) March 16, 2026 Statement by the International Human Rights Foundation (IHRF)The International Human Rights Foundation strongly condemns the reported bombardment by Pakistan of a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan treating drug addicts, an attack that has reportedly killed a large… pic.twitter.com/wbaM3Y2nvT Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat has alleged that civilians, including patients at a 2,000-bed hospital in Kabul, were killed in an overnight strike, which he attributed to Pakistani military action. In a post on X, Fitrat said “innocent civilians and addicts” were among those killed in the bombing and described the incident as a major loss, sharing visuals from the site. The latest strike marks a sharp escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two countries, which began in late February. Hours before the Kabul strike, both sides exchanged fire along the border, leaving at least four people dead in Afghanistan, AP reported. The United Nations Security Council has called for efforts to combat terrorism, even as ceasefire appeals remain unheeded. Pakistan has declared it is in “open war,” while Afghanistan has accused Islamabad of targeting civilian sites amid growing casualties on both sides, AP reported. Afghanistan cricketer Rashid Khan has expressed concern over reports of civilian casualties in Kabul, saying that targeting homes, educational facilities or medical infrastructure “is a war crime.” In a post on X, he called the situation “deeply concerning,” especially during the holy month of Ramadan. Khan urged the United Nations and human rights agencies to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable. He said Afghans would “rise as a nation” despite the crisis. > I am deeply saddened by the latest reports of civilian casualties as a result of Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul. Targeting civilian homes, educational facilities or medical infrastructure, either intentional or by mistake, is a war crime. The sheer disregard for human lives,… pic.twitter.com/DbFRRh2qAJ— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) March 16, 2026 I am deeply saddened by the latest reports of civilian casualties as a result of Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul. Targeting civilian homes, educational facilities or medical infrastructure, either intentional or by mistake, is a war crime. The sheer disregard for human lives,… pic.twitter.com/DbFRRh2qAJ Pakistan has rejected Afghanistan’s allegations, saying its airstrikes did not hit any civilian infrastructure. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi termed the claims “baseless,” while Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said “precision airstrikes” targeted military installations in Kabul and Nangarhar. Pakistan maintained that the strikes were aimed at “technical support infrastructure and ammunition storage facilities” linked to militant activity, insisting that operations were conducted carefully to avoid collateral damage, AP reported. Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of carrying out an airstrike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul late Monday, killing at least 400 people and injuring around 250, according to officials. Deputy government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said the strike hit the 2,000-bed facility at around 9 pm, destroying large sections of the building. Local television footage showed rescue teams pulling out casualties as firefighters battled flames at the site. Afghan authorities said the toll could rise as recovery operations continue. (Source: AP) In a post on X before Afghan officials gave a death toll, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said the strikes “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure including technical equipment storage and ammunition storage of Afghan Taliban” and Afghanistan-based Pakistani militants in Kabul and Nangarhar. It alleged that the facilities were being used against innocent Pakistani civilians and said Pakistan’s strikes were “precise and carefully undertaken to ensure no collateral damage is inflicted”. Local television posted clips on X showing security forces using flashlights while carried the bodies out while firefighters struggled to extinguish flames among the ruins of a building. At least 400 people were killed in a Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation in Kabul late on Monday, Afghanistan’s Taliban government said. According to deputy government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat, about 250 more people were reported injured in the airstrike that hit the hospital around 9 pm local time, destroying large portions of the 2,000-bed facility. Pakistan however dismissed the allegation, saying no hospital was targeted in Kabul.