ISLAMABAD/KABUL: Pakistan on Tuesday maintained that its recent airstrikes in Kabul and Nangarhar targeted a former US military base, ‘Camp Phoenix,’ currently used by Afghan Taliban forces, despite Afghan claims that a drug rehabilitation centre was hit.
Information Minister Atta Tarar said an ammunition storage facility was among the targets and released video footage showing flames and secondary explosions, asserting that no hospitals or civilian centres were struck.
The strike, conducted as part of Pakistan’s Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, involved six “precise and professional” hits aimed at dismantling infrastructure used to plan attacks on Pakistani soil.
Conflicting Reports
Afghan officials, however, claim the strike hit a 2,000-bed drug treatment centre known locally as ‘Omid Camp’ or Ibn Sina Drug Addiction Treatment Hospital. Taliban spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat mistakenly referred to it as Omid Hospital, located elsewhere in Kabul. Fact-checks by Pakistan’s information ministry clarified that the hospital and the rehab centre are separate facilities.
Locals described the destroyed site as a single-storey building at the former base, with twisted metal and debris consistent with US military-style structures. Photos also showed shockwave damage inside the building.
Casualty Claims
Casualty figures remain disputed. Afghan authorities claimed 408 dead and 265 injured, while the Norwegian Refugee Council and UN staff reported seeing large numbers of victims. Pakistan called these claims “entirely baseless” and accused Kabul of spreading propaganda.
Spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi stated that Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations would continue until the Taliban regime-controlled areas no longer harboured terrorist infrastructure.
International Response
The UN called for an independent investigation, demanding transparency and accountability. UNAMA and rights officials urged an immediate ceasefire, while WHO noted damage to at least six health facilities.
The EU condemned the strike, emphasizing that civilian and medical facilities are protected under international law and urging restraint. Meanwhile, China called for dialogue, protection of its personnel, and efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region.
The incident highlights the growing volatility in Afghanistan and ongoing disputes over the nature and impact of military operations in Taliban-controlled areas.