Militant gunmen stormed a maternity hospital in the western part of Afghanistan's Kabul late on Tuesday, with the police getting involved in a firefight. At least 14 people, including two newborn babies and their mothers, were killed. At least four people were reported wounded. The targeted hospital is situated in Dashti Barchi, a 100-bed facility. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, a suicide bomber targeted a funeral in eastern Nangarhar province a hotbed of the Islamic State group on Tuesday, killing 10 people and wounding at least 30.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the Kabul attack but both the Taliban and the IS are active in the Afghan capital and its surroundings, and both frequently target the military and security forces, as well as civilians. The Taliban later denied they were involved.
Interior Ministry spokesman Tareq Arian said that over 80 women and babies were evacuated by Afghan security forces as the firefight got underway. Photos shared by the ministry show newborn babies and their mothers being carried out of the hospital. Wahid Majroh, deputy public health minister, rushed to the site from where he said at least four people were wounded.
India on Tuesday strongly condemned both terror strikes, calling them "barbaric" acts against innocent people including women and children. "India strongly condemns the barbaric terrorist attacks against innocent civilians, including women and children, at the Dasht-e-Barchi hospital maternity ward, funeral in Nangarhar province and the Army check post in Laghman province," the MEA said.
In a statement, it said the "reprehensible" attacks, including on mothers, newly born children, nurses and mourning families are appalling and constitute crimes against humanity. "We extend our sincerest condolences to the families of the deceased and wish speedy recovery to those injured," the MEA said. It said there can be no justification for such continued acts of terrorism, asserting that the perpetrators of such heinous acts and their sponsors should be held accountable and brought to justice. "They should be forced to eradicate safe havens and sanctuaries that have abetted terrorism in the region for decades and caused immense miseries to untold number of people in the region," the MEA said.
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"The holy month of Ramazan should be a period of fasting, prayer and reflection," the MEA said.
-Inputs from agencies