UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned a deadly Pakistani airstrike on a hospital in Kabul, calling for an independent investigation into the incident.

A spokesperson for the Secretary-General said Mr Guterres stressed that under international law, patients, medical personnel, and healthcare facilities must be protected at all times. This came after Afghanistan’s Taliban government had said that more than 400 people were killed in the Pakistani attack on a drug rehabilitation hospital in an overnight strike.

Mr Guterres also reiterated his call for de-escalation and an immediate end to hostilities, urging all sides to uphold their obligations under international law, particularly the protection of civilians. Meanwhile, the Secretary-General welcomed the temporary ceasefire agreed upon by Pakistan and Afghanistan for Eid and expressed hope that it would be extended.