Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Kabul late Monday, including an attack the Taliban say struck a rehabilitation center in the east of Kabul, as escalating cross-border clashes between Pakistan and Taliban entered their 19th day.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the strikes, saying that several patients receiving treatment were killed or wounded, though the exact number of casualties was not immediately known.
The rehabilitation center is located in Hootkhail area in Kabul’s District 9 in the east.
Taliban condemned the attack, calling it a violation of humanitarian principles, saying Pakistan has breached Afghanistan’s airspace.
Local sources in Kabul told Amu TV that the strikes started at around 8:30 p.m. local time, along with the sound of drones flying over parts of the city.
Residents said at least three explosions were heard across different areas of Kabul. Some witnesses said a Taliban military depot near the Defense Ministry may also have been targeted.
Videos sent by Kabul residents to Amu TV showed damage to residential homes near the strike sites.
Pakistani officials have not immediately commented on the reported strikes.
In eastern Afghanistan, Taliban officials also reported increased military activity along the border.
Wahidullah Mohammadi, spokesperson for the Taliban’s 201 Khalid bin Walid Corps, said Pakistani fighter jets were patrolling several areas of Nangarhar province. He said Taliban forces fired toward the aircraft “in a defensive manner” to prevent them from carrying out airstrikes.
Former President Hamid Karzai condemned the reported strikes in Kabul, saying the bombing of residential neighborhoods and civilian sites, including medical facilities, caused civilian casualties and property damage.
Karzai warned that continued attacks would not help Pakistan achieve its objectives and would ultimately harm regional stability.
He called on Islamabad to reconsider its policies and engage with Afghanistan based on principles of good-neighborly relations.
The latest incidents come as fighting between Pakistani forces and Taliban has intensified since Feb. 26, with both sides reporting cross-border strikes and artillery attacks.
The United Nations has said that 73 civilians were killed and 193 others wounded during the first two weeks of the clashes, raising concerns about the impact of the conflict on civilians.
