A devastating airstrike struck a major addiction treatment hospital in Kabul killing hundreds and sharply escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Afghan authorities and international reports said the strike occurred on Monday evening shortly after Ramadan iftar targeting a large medical facility housing thousands of patients.
The attack caused extensive destruction with large sections of the hospital collapsing and fires spreading through patient wards trapping many inside.
Initial figures indicate that at least 408 people were killed and 265 injured most of them patients and medical staff in one of the deadliest incidents in Kabul in recent years.
Rescue teams continue searching for survivors amid widespread devastation and debris.
Pakistani authorities acknowledged conducting air operations described as precision strikes targeting militant infrastructure and said the actions were in response to attacks on its territory.
Islamabad denied targeting civilian facilities and dismissed reports of a hospital strike as inaccurate and misleading.
Afghan officials strongly condemned the attack describing it as a crime against humanity and insisted the hospital was a purely civilian facility with no military links.
International actors expressed deep concern and called on all sides to exercise restraint and avoid targeting civilians and critical infrastructure.
The incident comes amid rising tensions between the two countries raising fears of broader conflict along their shared border.
Authorities have imposed heightened security measures across parts of Kabul restricting movement near sensitive sites while advising residents to avoid affected areas.
With conflicting accounts from both sides the circumstances of the strike remain under investigation though the scale of casualties is likely to increase international pressure in the coming days.
