Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of killing more than 200 in strike on drug treatment hospital

Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of killing more than 200 people in a strike on a Kabul hospital that treats drug addicts.

Pakistan had earlier dismissed the claim it had attacked a hospital, saying its strike in the capital and other strikes in eastern Afghanistan on Monday had not hit any civilian sites.

Sharafat Zaman, the country's health ministry spokesman, gave the death toll during an interview with state TV, posted on X, and claimed all parts of the drug treatment facility had been destroyed.

Afghan television stations posted footage showing firefighters struggling to extinguish flames among the ruins of a building.

Pakistan declared that it was in "open war" with Afghanistan on 27 February, almost a week after its military carried out limited airstrikes on 21 February.

Islamabad often accuses Afghanistan, where the Taliban seized power again in August 2021, of harbouring militants who carry out terror attacks. The Taliban denies this.

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