Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesman said on March 17 that about 400 people have died after an airstrike allegedly carried out by Pakistan destroyed a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul, Hindustan Times reported.

According to Afghan authorities, the strike took place late on March 16 when powerful explosions were heard across Kabul at around 9:00 pm local time. The blasts triggered anti-aircraft fire as residents rushed for cover. The attack came shortly after people had gathered outside their homes following the daily breaking of the Ramadan fast.

Officials from Afghanistan’s Health Ministry have reportedly said the facility targeted in the strike was a treatment centre for drug addiction patients. Health ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said the complex suffered extensive destruction, with all sections of the hospital reportedly damaged or destroyed.

Meanwhile, Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistan’s military of violating Afghanistan’s airspace and carrying out the attack on the medical facility in Kabul. Afghan officials described the strike as a serious breach of international norms and condemned it as an act that resulted in significant civilian casualties.

The incident has further escalated tensions between the neighbouring countries, which have been engaged in increasing cross-border hostilities in recent weeks even as clerics have shuttled between the countries looking to resolve outstanding issues.

Pakistan, however, has denied the allegation that its airstrikes targeted a hospital in the Afghan capital. The country’s information ministry dismissed the claim as inaccurate and misleading, according to reports cited by Hindustan Times. Pakistani authorities maintain that their operations have been directed at militant threats rather than civilian infrastructure.

The reported strike came hours after renewed exchanges of fire along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border. Afghan officials said at least four people were killed in those clashes as fighting between the two sides entered its third week, marking one of the most intense periods of hostilities between the neighbours in years.

The current tensions follow earlier accusations by Kabul that Pakistan carried out an airstrike in Afghanistan last week, which reportedly killed several people and struck a fuel depot linked to a domestic airline.

Afghan authorities said they responded by targeting a Pakistani military installation. At the time, Islamabad rejected that claim and instead said that three drones sent by militants operating from Afghan territory had been intercepted and shot down.