Devastating Air Strike on Kabul Rehab Centre: A Survivor's Perspective

Wed Mar 18 2026 17:53:20 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A tragic air strike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, Afghanistan has resulted in a significant death toll. Survivors recount their harrowing experiences as rescue efforts continue amidst rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

On March 16, a Pakistani air strike targeted the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul, leading to devastating consequences. As patients broke their fast during Ramadan, the facility was hit, resulting in reports of around 400 casualties, although this number remains unverified. Eyewitness accounts reveal the chaos and destruction faced by those inside the centre, with survivors sharing their traumatic experiences. The incident further escalates the ongoing conflict between the two nations, with Pakistan denying targeted strikes on civilian facilities.

Rescue teams are continuing to pull bodies from the smoking rubble of a drug rehabilitation centre in the Afghan capital, Kabul, which was hit on Monday night in a devastating Pakistani air strike.

The attack on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, which happened at about 21:00 local time (16:30 GMT), is the deadliest in recent violence between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The strike happened as residents broke their daily fast for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The death toll has continued to rise, and the Taliban government says it believes the number of people killed is about 400, although this figure has yet to be confirmed. Many people were also injured.

Mohammad Shafee, a patient in his 20s, survived the attack. I was in the kitchen helping to serve dinner when I heard a loud bang and ran for safety, he told the BBC. When I returned later, I found most of our colleagues and people in the dining room hit. Only five of us survived.

Maiwand Hoshmand, a doctor who works at the facility, explained that patients had just finished dinner on Monday and some were at congregational prayer when jets struck three parts of the centre. I heard the sound of the jet patrolling, said Omid Stanikzai, a security guard. He described how the military units in the area responded to the aircraft, leading to the air strike that caused chaos.

Victims' accounts paint a grim picture of that night. Ahmad, a 50-year-old patient, likened the experience to doomsday; My friends were burning in the fire, and we could not save them all, he recounted to Reuters.

As rescue efforts progressed on Tuesday, medical personnel were seen tending to the wounded amid the ruins of the single-storey building. The centre had transformed into a rehabilitation facility from its previous military use due to escalating drug addiction issues in Afghanistan.

Pakistan has refuted claims of intentionally targeting the rehabilitation centre, calling these assertions entirely baseless, while asserting that its military operations target only installations linked to terrorism.

The attack has sparked new concerns about the deteriorating security situation and human rights violations in the region, as ongoing hostilities have affected civilian facilities including health centres.

This tragic event emphasizes the urgent need for dialogue and resolution in the Afghan-Pakistani conflict, particularly in light of rising civilian casualties.