Mass funeral held in Kabul for victims of Pakistani strike as Taliban vows retribution but leaves room for talks
A mass funeral was held on Wednesday in Kabul for some of the hundreds of victims of a Pakistani strike on a drug treatment center, as the Taliban government vowed retaliation while leaving the door open for diplomacy to end the conflict.
On a rain-soaked hillside above the Afghan capital, volunteers from the Afghan Red Crescent Society carried dozens of simple wooden coffins from ambulances to a mass grave excavated by heavy machinery. At the graveside, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani described the victims as innocent and targeted by “criminals,” offering condolences to their families just days before the end of Ramadan. He warned those responsible, saying, “We are not weak and helpless. You will see the consequences of your crimes.” At the same time, Haqqani suggested that the government prefers resolving the situation through diplomatic channels, stating, “We do not want war, but the situation has come to this, so we are trying to solve the problems through diplomacy.”
The Taliban reported that around 400 people were killed and more than 200 injured in Monday night’s strike, the deadliest in escalating tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Islamabad denies intentionally targeting the center and accuses Kabul of sheltering militants behind cross-border attacks, an allegation Afghanistan rejects. Security was tight at the funeral, and some victims were returned to their home provinces for burial, while the identification of others remains ongoing.
Recovery and identification of the dead have been hindered by debris and collapsed structures, with humanitarian workers describing scenes of scattered body parts that make proper identification difficult. Local and international observers say hundreds were likely killed or wounded, though exact figures are challenging to confirm due to the remote and chaotic conditions.
Efforts to mediate between the two countries have so far stalled. The U.N. reported that prior fighting had killed at least 76 Afghan civilians and displaced over 115,000 families. Early mediation attempts led by Gulf nations have waned, partly due to shifting regional crises, while China and Russia have expressed readiness to assist in de-escalation if both sides formally request intervention.
The strike has intensified calls for peace, but diplomatic progress remains uncertain as both nations grapple with rising civilian casualties and growing tension along the border.
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