Overview
- Afghan authorities say an airstrike late March 16 hit the Omid drug‑treatment complex in Kabul, with officials reporting about 400 killed and roughly 250–265 injured.
- Pakistan rejects that a hospital was targeted, asserting its operations in Kabul and Nangarhar hit militant facilities and TTP-linked munitions depots, citing secondary explosions.
- Independent verification of casualties remains incomplete, with AFP reporters initially seeing far fewer bodies and the NGO Emergency reporting only several dozen patients received.
- The Taliban leadership declared diplomacy with Islamabad exhausted and pledged reprisals, escalating a cross‑border confrontation that has intensified since late February.
- UN officials and aid groups urged de‑escalation and protection of civilians, recalling UNAMA’s earlier count of at least 75 Afghan civilian deaths during the recent escalation and large-scale displacement.