India Unequivocally Condemns Pakistan's Airstrike on Hospital in Afghanistan; 400 Killed, Over 200 Injured
The ministry also strongly called out the neighbouring country for carrying out the attack during the holy month of Ramadan.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, issued a statement on Tuesday unequivocally condemning Pakistan's “barbaric” airstrike on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, on the night of March 16, calling it a blatant assault on Afghanistan's sovereignty.
The MEA, in its statement, said, “This is a cowardly and unconscionable act of violence that has claimed the lives of a large number of civilians in a facility which can by no means be justified as a military target. Pakistan is now trying to dress up a massacre as a military operation.”
The MEA called the “heinous act of aggression” by Pakistan also a “blatant assault on Afghanistan's sovereignty and a direct threat to regional peace and stability”.
The ministry further stated that the latest attack reflects “Pakistan's persistent pattern of reckless behaviour and its repeated attempts to externalize internal failures through increasingly desperate acts of violence beyond its borders.”
The ministry also strongly called out the neighbouring country for carrying out the attack during the holy month of Ramadan.
“That this attack was carried out during the holy month of Ramzan, a time of peace, reflection, and mercy among Muslim communities across the world, makes it all the more reprehensible. There is no faith, no law, and no morality that can justify the deliberate targeting of a hospital and its patients,” the statement read.
It has called upon the international community to hold the “perpetrators of this criminal act” accountable and ensure that the “wanton” targeting by Pakistan of civilians in Afghanistan ceases without delay.
India has extended its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and wished a swift recovery to those injured, adding that India stands in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan in this tragic moment.
“We also reiterate our unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan,” it further added.
As per Afghan officials, 400 people were killed in the attack carried out last night at the hospital, while over 250 others were injured.
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