Afghan government welcomes India's condemnation of Pakistani attack on Kabul hospital
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Afghan government welcomes India's condemnation of Pakistani attack on Kabul hospital")
Suhail Shaheen, a senior spokesperson for the Afghan government Photograph: (X/suhailshaheen1)
“There is anger among the people, because among those who were killed by this brutal air strike, they lost their dear ones… but at the same time, they are standing with the government and behind the government to answer the enemy,” Suhail Shaheen, senior spokesperson for Taliban.
The aftermath of recent Pakistani airstrikes on Kabul has deepened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with the Afghan government pointing how Islamabad targeted a civilian facility and causing massive civilian casualties. In an exclusive interview with WION's Sidhant Sibal, Suhail Shaheen, a senior spokesperson for the Afghan government and ambassador to Qatar, described a surge in national unity among Afghans following the strikes. "We see national unity among the Afghan people, they are supporting the government. That was not in the past, but now we see more support from the people with the government," Shaheen said.
He added that there was widespread anger over the loss of life. "There is anger among the people, because among those who were killed by this brutal air strike, they lost their dear ones. So there is anger among the people, but at the same time, they are standing with the government and behind the government to answer the enemy."
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The strikes, which occurred late on Monday night, targeted Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a large drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul with around 2,000 beds. Afghanistan says that the attack killed more than 400 people, mostly patients, and injured about 300 others. Shaheen dismissed Pakistan's assertions that the strikes hit militant camps linked to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). "These are baseless claims. As always they claim so," he said.
"If they are true and what they say, they would have killed some high profile TTP members during the past two three weeks, but they have not succeeded", pointing that "now they failed to find them. So these are just claims. Under these pretext, baseless pretext, they attack the hospital for the addicts and kill and murdered more than 400 patients and about 300 injured, which is a very horrendous incident and an atrocity on their part."
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When asked about Afghanistan's response, Shaheen deferred to official channels, stating: "Response will be with the Ministry of defence." Shaheen also commented on India's reaction to the incident, calling it appropriate given the severity. "Yes, that was rational, and because it was a very brutal incident from the crime against humanity, a war crime. So I appreciate their stance and their statement in this regard." India strongly condemned Pakistan's actions as "barbaric," "unconscionable," and a "massacre" during Ramzan, describing it as a blatant assault on Afghan sovereignty and civilian lives.
The United Nations (via UNAMA and Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett) expressed dismay over civilian casualties, urged maximum restraint, respect for international law (including hospital protections), and an immediate ceasefire investigation, while the European Union called for "maximum restraint" from both sides and condemned the escalation harming medical facilities. The attack marks a sharp escalation in the ongoing border conflict. Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistan announced "suspending" what it terms as "anti terror operation" in Afghanistan.
