EU Condemns Deadly Pakistani Airstrike on Kabul Medical Facility

EU's Strong Response to Airstrike in Kabul

Kabul: The European Union has expressed its condemnation of a recent airstrike by Pakistan on a medical facility in Kabul, labeling it a severe escalation in the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The EU has called on both nations to show utmost restraint and to implement all possible measures to safeguard civilians, emphasizing that assaults on civilian and medical establishments breach international humanitarian law.

This statement follows a Pakistani airstrike on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a facility with 2,000 beds located in Kabul’s Pul-e-Charkhi area, which resulted in numerous fatalities and injuries.

The EU reiterated that civilian and medical facilities are protected under International Humanitarian Law, including the Geneva Conventions, and that all military parties must adhere to these regulations without exception.

The EU has joined the global community in demanding an immediate ceasefire and the revival of diplomatic discussions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, reported that the Pakistani attack on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital resulted in over 408 deaths and more than 265 injuries among patients undergoing rehabilitation.

During a meeting with ambassadors and representatives of international organizations in Kabul, Muttaqi stated that the strikes occurred around 9 p.m. on March 16, executed by 'military aircraft and drones of the Pakistani military regime,' specifically targeting one of the most vulnerable populations in Afghanistan.

He noted that the victims were individuals battling drug addiction, receiving treatment through Afghan government initiatives supported by international humanitarian organizations, and cautioned that the casualty figures could increase.

Muttaqi accused the Pakistani military of disregarding Islamic and humanitarian warfare principles, intentionally attacking civilian and humanitarian sites, and pointed out that this assault took place during the concluding days of Ramadan and just before Eid al-Fitr.

He asserted that Afghan security forces had responded with appropriate defensive actions, targeting only military locations from which attacks were initiated, and emphasized that such responses would persist until Pakistan halted its 'violations and crimes.'