Kabul Drug Center Bombing: Families Demand International Investigation

Families of victims are calling for an international investigation into an airstrike that destroyed a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul, Afghanistan, on 16 March 2026. The attack targeted the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, resulting in significant casualties among patients and staff.

The strike occurred at approximately 9 p.m. Local time during the 2026 Afghanistan–Pakistan conflict. Afghan authorities report that the attack killed at least 408 people and injured 265 others. Other reports, including one from the South China Morning Post, cite a death toll of 411 people according to Afghan officials.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) provided a different set of verified figures, stating that the airstrike killed at least 143 people and injured at least 119 others. A separate UN source, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated they had verified at least 250 deaths, with additional individuals remaining missing.

Conflicting Claims of Responsibility

The Afghan government, supported by Human Rights Watch and UNAMA, claims the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital was directly targeted by the Pakistan Air Force. Hospital officials noted that approximately 3,000 people were receiving treatment at the center at the time of the destruction.

Pakistani officials have admitted to conducting airstrikes within Kabul but denied that the rehabilitation center was the intended target. They stated that the Pakistan Air Force struck military sites located near the facility.

Calls for International Accountability

Relatives of the victims are urging the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for the loss of life. Samira Muhammadi, an Afghan mother whose son was killed in the bombing, has expressed hope that an international probe can provide answers and extinguish her pain.

There should be investigations on this … Like me, many mothers lost their sons

Samira Muhammadi

The demand for an independent investigation follows confirmations from news reporters, international NGOs, and emergency responders that more than 100 people were killed in the strike.