International reactions to the deadly attack by Pakistan’s military regime on an addiction treatment hospital in Kabul have largely focused on calling for a halt to hostilities, urging restraint, and expressing concern over civilian casualties.
The attack, carried out late last night, targeted the hospital, where officials say over 400 patients were killed and more than 250 were injured.
Richard Bennett said he was disheartened by reports of the airstrike and civilian deaths. He added:
“I am distressed by reports of the airstrike and the resulting civilian casualties. I call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to respect international law to protect civilians. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has also confirmed a high number of civilian casualties in its investigations.”
This statement from Bennett comes as Amnesty International and other international human rights organizations strongly condemned the attacks and called for independent investigations. These organizations also emphasized the importance of halting the ongoing conflict and resolving existing problems peacefully.
Meanwhile, India’s Ministry of External Affairs described the attack as cowardly, saying it violated Afghanistan’s national sovereignty and posed serious security risks to the region. The ministry stated:
“This was a cowardly act of violence that took the lives of numerous civilians in a location that cannot be considered a military target. Pakistan now seeks to cover up this massacre by labeling it a military operation.”
The ministry also noted that Pakistan repeatedly tries to mask domestic failures through unreasonable actions beyond its borders.
As global reactions continue, former US Special Envoy for Afghan Peace Zalmay Khalilzad also condemned the strikes, calling them brutal and urging the international community to denounce Pakistan’s actions.
Khalilzad said:
“This massacre of Afghan civilians is the result of Pakistan’s military regime’s brutal bombing in Kabul. Afghans are justifiably angry, and the Afghan government has stated that the time for negotiations with Pakistan has passed. It appears the government is now assessing its options to respond and possibly escalate the conflict.”
He also expressed hope that the Afghan government will respond to Pakistan’s recent actions with wisdom and careful planning.
This is not the first time Pakistan’s military has targeted civilians, residential areas, and public facilities in Afghanistan, repeatedly causing civilian casualties.
While the international community and regional countries continue to call for a peaceful resolution of disputes, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has stated that the time for talks with Pakistan has passed and any response to the attack will be retaliatory.
