Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, has called for a full and independent investigation into Pakistan’s airstrike on Kabul’s Omid Rehabilitation Hospital in March that, according to the UN, killed at least 269 civilians.
In a statement posted on X, Bennett said the March 16 attack “demands a full, independent investigation” and warned that deliberate attacks on civilians or civilian objects could constitute war crimes.
“The 16/3 attack by Pakistan at Omid Drug Rehab Hospital in Kabul, where UNAMA verified 269+ civilians killed, demands a full, independent investigation,” Bennett wrote.
He also urged the Taliban to ensure the safety of patients in rehabilitation and treatment facilities.
The remarks add to growing calls from UN officials for accountability over one of the deadliest incidents involving civilians in Afghanistan this year.
According to a recent report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA, the strike on the Omid Rehabilitation Hospital killed 269 civilians and wounded 122 others. UNAMA said the attack occurred after evening Taraweeh prayers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when many patients were leaving the facility’s mosque.
The hospital, located in eastern Kabul, was being used to treat people recovering from drug addiction. UN officials have said the facility did not appear to be a military target.
Pakistan has previously denied deliberately targeting civilian sites in Afghanistan, maintaining that its military operations are directed at what it describes as terrorist infrastructure and armed groups threatening Pakistani security.
An Amu investigation found that the Omid center was located near Taliban military faciilites.
The strike has become a focal point in debates over civilian protection in Afghanistan. Earlier this week, India’s ambassador to the United Nations cited UNAMA’s findings during a Security Council meeting, describing the attack as a “barbaric airstrike” and accusing Pakistan of disregarding international obligations to protect civilians.
UNAMA has also reported that tens of thousands of people were displaced by cross-border violence during the reporting period and documented civilian casualties linked to military operations along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
Bennett stressed that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure must be subject to independent scrutiny under international law.
