Tragic Airstrike on Kabul Rehab Centre Claims Hundreds of Lives

Tue Mar 17 2026 20:44:42 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A devastating airstrike in Kabul hits a drug rehabilitation center during dinner, resulting in a catastrophic loss of life and injuries, as survivors recount their horrific experiences.

An airstrike in Kabul targeted the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, killing around 400 people during a Ramadan dinner. Survivors describe chaos as they fled amidst smoke and debris, while rescue efforts continue. The attack has led to escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with both countries denying responsibility for the tragic incident.

Rescue teams are continuing to pull bodies from the smoking rubble of a drug rehabilitation centre in the Afghan capital, Kabul, which was hit on Monday night in a devastating Pakistani air strike.

The attack on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, which happened at about 21:00 local time (16:30 GMT), is the deadliest in recent violence between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The strike occurred as residents broke their daily fast for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The death toll has continued to rise, with the Taliban government estimating around 400 killed, although this figure has not yet been confirmed. Many injuries have also been reported.

Mohammad Shafee, a patient in his 20s, survived the attack. I was in the kitchen helping to serve dinner when I heard a loud bang and ran for safety, he told the BBC. When I returned later, I found most of our colleagues and people in the dining room hit. Only five of us survived.

Dr. Maiwand Hoshmand stated that patients had just finished dinner when the jets struck three parts of the centre, leading to panic and chaos.

Witness Omid Stanikzai, a security guard, recounted, There were military units all around us. When these military units fired on the jet, the jet dropped bombs and a fire broke out. The whole place caught fire. It was like doomsday.

Survivors describe horrific scenes, with Ahmad, 50, reporting, My friends were burning in the fire, and we could not save them all.

As the search continues, at least 100 bodies have been taken to the Kabul Forensic Medicine Department. Many families are anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones, with reports of confusion and desperation in the aftermath of the attack.

The Omid Addiction Treatment facility, previously known as Camp Phoenix during the US-led war in Afghanistan, was converted into a rehab center in recent years to tackle the country's severe drug addiction issue.

UN officials are urging restraint amid escalating tensions, as hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan have resulted in casualties and numerous health facilities being impacted.