On Wednesday, attackers dressed as medical personnel stormed the Mohammed Daud Khan hospital, also known as the “400 Bed,” in Kabul, Afghanistan; killing over thirty people including doctors, hospital staff, and wounded Afghani soldiers. The attack, which began with a bomb followed by gunfire, began shortly after 9 AM local time.
Afghan security forces and police responded to the scene quickly and began a six-hour siege of the building, in which the attackers were not immediately killed due to the removal of patients from the premises. The surviving patients and those wounded in the attack were evacuated to the Wazir Akbar Khan hospital, according to media relations officer Smeal Kawosi. Shortly after 3:30PM local time, all terrorist fighters had been eliminated, with the death toll rising over 30 killed and over 50 wounded.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mojahid denied any responsibility for the attacks.
“Today’s attack on [the] hospital in Kabul has nothing to do with the Mujhidin of Islamic Emirate,” Mojahid wrote on Twitter.
Subsequently, the Islamic State news agency known as Amaq said that ISIS claims responsibility for the attacks, however, their claims have not yet been verified.
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul condemned the attacks.
“Targeting a medical facility providing care for the brave afghans working to protect their fellow citizens has no possible justification in any religion or creed,” the U.S. Embassy said in a statement.
[revad2]
