New Delhi [India], March 17 (ANI): Former Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Amar Sinha on Tuesday described Pakistan’s recent airstrikes in Afghanistan as a “major escalation,” calling the reported bombing of a hospital in Kabul a “war crime.”
Speaking to ANI, Sinha said the strike on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians undergoing treatment, cannot be justified under any military pretext.
“This is a major escalation by Pakistan. Hitting a hospital and causing the death of hundreds of civilians under treatment is a war crime,” Sinha said.
He noted that tensions along the Durand Line, the border separating Pakistan and Afghanistan, have historically involved frequent skirmishes and exchanges of fire, but the use of air power marks a significant shift in the conflict.
“Skirmishes across the Durand Line happen all the time, but the use of the air force since October last year represents a major escalation,” he said.
According to Sinha, Pakistan’s actions reflect both “frustration and arrogance” in its current relationship with the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan.
“It represents Pakistan’s frustration at its loss of relevance with the Taliban government and also its arrogance. Perhaps it is using the current geopolitical situation to settle scores with impunity, as Afghanistan lacks air power,” he said.
The former envoy warned that the escalation could further destabilize the region at a time when tensions in West Asia are already high.
“There is no doubt this is destabilizing for the region and only adds to the complexity created by attacks on Iran,” Sinha added.
Meanwhile, India’s Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned the airstrike, describing it as a “cowardly and unconscionable act of violence.” In a statement issued Tuesday, the ministry said India “unequivocally condemns Pakistan’s barbaric airstrike on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul on the night of March 16.”
The ministry said the attack claimed the lives of a large number of civilians in a facility that “can by no means be justified as a military target,” adding that Pakistan was attempting to “dress up a massacre as a military operation.”
India called on the international community to hold those responsible accountable and reiterated its support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while extending condolences to the victims and their families.
More than 400 people were killed and hundreds injured after a Pakistani military airstrike struck a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul, Afghan officials said, according to Tolo News. The attack is among the deadliest single strikes on civilians in Afghanistan in recent years.
Tolo News, citing Afghan authorities, reported that the strike took place late at night and caused extensive destruction at the facility, with many victims identified as patients and staff present at the time.
According to Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the number of casualties has continued to rise since the incident.
“Following last night’s bombardment by Pakistan’s military regime on a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul, the number of martyrs has so far risen to 400, while the number of injured has reached 250,” Tolo News reported, citing Fitrat.
The incident is expected to further strain already fragile ties between Kabul and Islamabad. Regional and international observers have warned of broader implications for stability in Afghanistan, which has faced prolonged conflict since the 2021 withdrawal of US and NATO forces. (ANI)
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