Rights group raises alarm over civilian toll in Pakistan’s Kabul airstrike

Leading international rights organisation, Amnesty International has raised serious concerns over potential violations of international humanitarian law following a Pakistani airstrike on a rehabilitation facility in Kabul that reportedly killed hundreds of civilians.

Amnesty International said the scale of casualties from the 16 March strike has prompted questions over whether adequate precautions were taken to protect civilians. The attack targeted a site in the Afghan capital that Pakistani officials have described as an ammunition depot.

According to Afghan authorities cited by Amnesty, more than 400 civilians were killed and over 200 injured when the strike hit the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a facility located on the grounds of the former Camp Phoenix base. The site has functioned as a drug rehabilitation centre since 2016 and is believed to have housed a large number of residents at the time of the attack.

Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty’s deputy regional director for South Asia, said the Pakistani military appeared to have failed in its obligation to minimise civilian harm. She noted that publicly available information indicated the site had a significant civilian presence, which should have been factored into any operational decision.

She added that even if military assets had been present within the wider परिसर, the anticipated civilian cost should have been carefully weighed before carrying out the strike.

The airstrikes, conducted in Kabul and Nangarhar, were part of what Pakistan has described as “Operation Ghazab Lil Haq”. However, the high number of reported casualties has intensified scrutiny over the proportionality and targeting of the operation.

Amnesty said the extent of the destruction raises doubts about whether sufficient intelligence was gathered and whether a proper proportionality assessment was undertaken prior to the attack.

The organisation has called on Pakistani authorities to clarify the basis on which the strike was authorised and to disclose what verification processes were followed. It has also urged an independent and impartial investigation into the incident, with findings made public to ensure accountability.

More broadly, Amnesty reiterated its call for all parties involved in the conflict to adhere strictly to international humanitarian law, particularly in safeguarding civilians and protecting critical infrastructure such as hospitals and healthcare facilities.

The incident is likely to add to growing international concern over the conduct of military operations in densely populated areas, where the risk to civilian life remains acute.

With IANS inputs