Kabul/Islamabad, March 20 (NationPress) A prominent global human rights organization has expressed grave apprehensions regarding breaches of international humanitarian law following the recent Pakistani airstrike on a rehabilitation facility located in Kabul, Afghanistan. This tragic incident resulted in the loss of over 400 civilian lives and left more than 200 individuals injured.

In response to assertions from Pakistani officials that the airstrike on March 16 targeted an ammunition depot, Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, criticized the Pakistani military for not taking sufficient precautions to protect civilians. She emphasized that any reasonable evaluation would have recognized the significant civilian presence at the facility.

Amnesty International reported that the Pakistani airstrikes on March 16 were part of “Operation Ghazab Lil Haq,” affecting both Kabul and Nangarhar. The strikes specifically impacted the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul, which was founded in 2016 on the former site of Camp Phoenix, a US and NATO military base on the outskirts of the Afghan capital. This rehabilitation center, along with its connected facilities, had the capacity to accommodate around 2,000 individuals.

According to Afghan authorities, the airstrike resulted in over 400 civilian casualties and left more than 200 individuals injured.

Isabelle Lassee stated that while the total number of casualties awaits independent verification, it's clear that the attack led to a substantial number of civilian deaths and injuries, likely in the hundreds.

“It is well-established that much of Camp Phoenix has been functioning as a drug rehabilitation center since 2016. The Pakistani military should have exercised all feasible measures to protect civilians and civilian properties prior to executing this strike. Any reasonable assessment would have indicated a high civilian presence at the site,” she remarked.

“Even if an ammunition depot was located within the larger camp area,” Isabelle noted, the decision to carry out the strike should have been evaluated against the potential for excessive harm to civilians.

She pointed out that the “extent of death and destruction raises significant questions about whether the Pakistani military performed a proper proportionality assessment and took all necessary steps to collect information about the intended target and mitigate civilian harm.”

“The Pakistani authorities must clarify what information they relied on and the verification steps taken. Furthermore, they are obligated to conduct an independent, neutral, and prompt investigation into this strike and the associated civilian casualties, with findings made public to ensure accountability,” Isabelle urged.

Amnesty International has called upon all parties involved in the conflict to rigorously adhere to international humanitarian law and take immediate actions to safeguard civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and other healthcare facilities.