Amnesty International has called for an independent investigation into the Pakistan Kabul rehab strike that killed at least 269 people at a drug treatment centre in Afghanistan. The rights group says evidence gathered from the site does not support Pakistan’s claim that its forces attacked a military facility.
Pakistan Kabul Rehab Strike Under Scrutiny
The March 16 airstrike hit the Omid Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre in eastern Kabul during heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan recorded at least 269 deaths and 122 injuries, while warning that the actual number of casualties could be higher. Most of those killed and wounded were patients receiving treatment at the facility.
Amnesty International said the attack should be investigated as a possible war crime because medical facilities receive special protection under international humanitarian law. The organisation argued that attacking forces must take all feasible steps to confirm that a target qualifies as a legitimate military objective before carrying out a strike.
Amnesty Investigation Finds No Military Evidence
Amnesty said it examined satellite imagery, photographs, videos and witness accounts connected to the Omid centre. Investigators verified more than 60 visual files and interviewed current and former employees of the rehabilitation facility and the nearby Ibn-e-Sina Hospital.
According to Amnesty, the available evidence did not show that the buildings were storing weapons, ammunition or other military equipment when they were attacked. Satellite images taken shortly before the strike reportedly showed patients moving through treatment and administrative areas.
The organisation also said signs identifying the complex as a rehabilitation and treatment centre had remained visible outside the property for years. Amnesty concluded that Pakistan failed to take adequate precautions to verify the nature of the target.
Pakistan Rejects War Crime Allegations
Pakistan has denied deliberately striking a civilian medical facility. Its Information Ministry said the military operation targeted a terrorist ammunition and equipment storage site associated with the former Camp Phoenix military compound.
The Omid centre operated within an area that previously housed a NATO base where American forces trained members of the former Afghan National Army. However, Amnesty said the location’s past military use did not remove the medical facility’s legal protection or prove that patients and healthcare buildings had become military targets.
This distinction remains central to the dispute. Pakistan maintains that its forces struck a militant facility, while Amnesty says it found no evidence supporting that account at the buildings that sustained the damage.
Witnesses Describe Heavy Civilian Losses
Witnesses interviewed by Amnesty described extensive destruction and large numbers of casualties. Staff members said hundreds of patients were present when the attack occurred at about 9 p.m.
Amnesty reported that many victims had gathered near dining and kitchen areas. One witness who inspected a damaged building said it contained wood, coal, clothing and ordinary footwear rather than weapons or military supplies.
Healthcare workers described searching through damaged buildings for survivors as calls for help gradually stopped. These accounts, together with satellite evidence and verified images, led Amnesty to conclude that the strike breached rules intended to protect civilians and medical services during armed conflict.
Amnesty Calls for Independent Investigation
Amnesty urged Pakistani authorities to open a transparent, thorough, independent and impartial investigation, publish the findings and prosecute anyone found criminally responsible.
Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty International’s acting regional director for South Asia, described the attack as a serious possible violation of international humanitarian law. The organisation also warned that failing to investigate credible allegations could deepen impunity as tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan continue.
