STORY: Rescue workers and hospital staff struggled to help the wounded and clear debris strewn on the ground at a Kabul hospital after an air strike on Monday (March 16).

The Afghan Taliban government said on Tuesday (March 17) that at least 400 people were killed and 250 injured in the air strike by Pakistan on a drug users rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, a sharp escalation in the conflict between the neighbours.

Rescue teams were at the scene working to control the fire and recover the victims, said a Taliban spokesman.

Pakistan rejected the claim as false and misleading and said it "precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure" on Monday night.

The air strike came hours after China said it remained ready to continue efforts to ease tensions between the South Asian Islamic nations and urged both to avoid expanding the war and return to the negotiating table.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: DEBRIS, SMOKE RISING, FIRE BURNING / WOUNDED AND INJURED BEING CARRIED TO HOSPITAL / SOUNDBITES FROM WOUNDED IN HOSPITAL

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: WATERMARK AND LOGO INHERENT IN SOURCE. EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (MARCH 16, 2026) (TOLO NEWS HANDOUT VIA X - No use Afghanistan) (NIGHT SHOTS)

1. SMOKE RISING INTO AIR / PEOPLE GATHERING AT SITE OF INCIDENT

2. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE, HOSPITAL STAFF CLEARING WRECKAGE

3. FIREFIGHTERS MOVING HOSE

4. DEBRIS ON FLOOR

5. PERSON KILLED IN ATTACK LYING ON FLOOR (BLURRED AT SOURCE) / DEBRIS

6. DEBRIS, BLOOD ON GROUND (BLURRED AT SOURCE)

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) UNIDENTIFIED PERSON, SAYING:

“Last year my friends, 130 people. There were 1,266 people. 400 were discharged the rest were all here but disappeared. There were 130 people in salon number one. There were 40 people here, 20 survived. Others not. What to do.”

8. VARIOUS OF WOUNDED BEING TRANSPORTED

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) UNIDENTIFIED PERSON, SAYING:

“I am an addict myself. After the evening prayers two bombs dropped. I was over there, I helped at least 100-200 people.”

10. DEBRIS, FIRE BURNING AND SMOKE RISING IN BACKGROUND

11. BODY BEING CARRIED AWAY

12. DEBRIS

13. PEOPLE COVERING BODY OF PERSON KILLED

14. (MUTE) VARIOUS OF DEBRIS AND WRECKAGE

15. SIGNBOARD ON SITE, READING (Dari): “OMID CENTRE FOR REHABILITATION AND TREATMENT (2000) BEDS”

16. VARIOUS OF WOUNDED BEING TRANSPORTED

17. (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) HOSPITAL PATIENT, ELHAZ, SAYING:

“My name is Elhaz. After I prayed at 9 o’clock, I went to sleep. The ceiling fell on top of us. Some people died; those who were injured were taken to the hospital.”

18. (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) HOSPITAL PATIENT, IQBAL,, SAYING:

“My name is Iqbal. I am from Kabul. I have been hospitalised here, among other addicts, by my family. After the 9 o’clock evening prayer, I was preparing to go to sleep. First, I heard some firing from the government forces and the Mujahideen. At the same time, a bomb dropped. I was not very far away—maybe 10 metres. I was still awake when the wall and the ceiling fell on top of us. By God’s grace, I was able to pull myself out of the place.”

19. HOSPITAL STAFF TALKING TO IQBAL