At least 400 killed, 250 injured in Pakistan air strike on Kabul hospital

Pakistan rejects Afghanistan claim as 'false' and 'misleading' and ‌says it 'precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support ​infrastructure'.

At least 400 people were killed and 250 injured in an air strike by Pakistan on a ⁠drug users' rehabilitation hospital in the Afghanistan capital Kabul, a spokesman of the Afghan Taliban government said ⁠on Tuesday.

Pakistan rejected the claim as false and misleading and ‌said it "precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support ​infrastructure" on Monday night, according to a Reuters report.

Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesman for the Taliban, said the air strike took place at 9 p.m. (1630 GMT) on Monday and targeted the Omid 2,000-bed drug rehabilitation hospital.

"Large parts of the hospital have been destroyed, and there are fears of heavy casualties," he ​said in a post on ⁠X. "Sadly, the number of those killed has so far reached 400, with up to 250 others injured."

Rescue teams were at the scene working to control the fire and recover the victims, he added.

The news agency reported that the number of casualty could not be independently verified.

The Pakistani Information and Broadcasting Ministry said the Afghan Taliban claim was "misreporting of facts".

In an overnight post on ‌X, it said that Pakistan targeted military installations and "terrorist support infrastructure", including technical equipment storage and ammunition storage of the ⁠Afghan Taliban and Pakistani Taliban militants in Kabul and Nangarhar that were being used against Pakistani civilians.

No collateral damage: Pakistan

"Pakistan’s targeting ‌is precise and carefully undertaken to ensure no collateral damage is inflicted," ‌the post said. "This misreporting of facts as drug rehabilitation facility seeks to ‌stir sentiments, covering illegitimate support to cross-border terrorism."

Fierce fighting between the South Asian neighbours, ‌who were close allies earlier, erupted last month with Pakistani air strikes in Afghanistan that Islamabad said targeted militant strongholds.

Afghanistan called the strikes a violation of its sovereignty that targeted civilians and launched its own attacks.

Both sides ⁠have claimed ⁠to have inflicted heavy damage on the other but independent verification has not been possible.

Islamabad says Kabul provides a safe haven to militants launching attacks on Pakistan. The Taliban deny the allegation, saying tackling militancy is Pakistan's internal problem.

The conflict had ebbed amid attempts by friendly countries, including China, to mediate and end the fighting before flaring up again.

(With agency inputs)