Al-Azhar condemns Kabul hospital attack as 'flagrant violation' of Islamic, humanitarian values

Ahram Online , Wednesday 18 Mar 2026

Egypt’s leading Sunni Islamic institution, Al-Azhar, condemned the targeting of a hospital in Kabul that left hundreds dead and injured, describing the incident as a “flagrant violation” of humanitarian values and Islamic teachings.

Afghan firefighters and Taliban security personnel work to extinguish fires after an airstrike hit the Secondary Rehabilitation Services Centre in Kabul. AFP

In a statement, Al-Azhar called the attack a “fully-fledged crime," stressing that targeting patients and medical facilities is strictly prohibited under Islamic law, which safeguards the sanctity of human life.

The institution expressed deep sorrow over the loss of civilian lives, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan, saying the timing amplified the gravity of the attack and contradicted principles of mercy and compassion in Islam.

It urged an end to violence against civilians and called for adherence to the values of humanity and solidarity, while offering prayers for the victims and their families and wishing a swift recovery for the injured.

More than 400 people were killed in a reported Pakistani air force strike that hit a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, the Afghan Taliban administration said on Tuesday, describing it as the deadliest incident since the two neighbours began fighting late last year.

Pakistan rejected the claim as “false and misleading," saying its forces had “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure.”