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Afghanistan’s Benafsha Yaqoobi wins US Woman of Courage award
Benafsha Yaqoobi from Afghanistan is being honoured by the United States with an International Women of Courage award.
Yaqoobi, who is visually impaired, worked for years as an attorney defending the rights of women who faced violence; founded the Rahyab Organization in 2008 with her husband to provide education and rehabilitation to visually impaired people in Afghanistan, US State Department said in a statement on Friday.
She has also served as a Commissioner for the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, where she focused on educating blind children, the statement said.
“Yaqoobi is living in exile but remains a tireless advocate for Afghans with disabilities, particularly calling for the international community to ensure that the rights of disabled persons are concretely incorporated in humanitarian response efforts undertaken by donors,” the statement said. “She is also working diligently to ensure that Afghan girls with disabilities are represented and continues to fight for their right to attend school.”
On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and First Lady Jill Biden will host the annual International Women of Courage (IWOC) Awards ceremony at the White House.
Yaqoobi will be one of 12 recipients globally of the award.
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Afghanistan warns Pakistan of ‘teeth-breaking’ response after deadly Kabul bombing
Abdul Matin Qane, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior, warned on Tuesday that the country will deliver a “teeth-breaking response” following a deadly airstrike in Kabul that authorities have blamed on Pakistan.
According to Afghan officials, the strike targeted the 2,000-bed Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in the Pul-e-Charkhi area of the capital late Monday night, killing at least 400 people and wounding 250 others.
Qane said recovery efforts were still ongoing on Tuesday morning as emergency teams searched for bodies beneath the rubble.
The incident comes amid a sharp escalation in tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent weeks, marked by airstrikes, artillery fire, and growing accusations from both sides.
Afghan authorities have repeatedly condemned what they describe as Pakistani military operations inside Afghan territory, particularly in eastern and southeastern provinces.
In recent weeks, Afghan officials have reported multiple strikes and shelling incidents that they say have caused civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure.
Islamabad, meanwhile, has claimed it is targeting militant groups it accuses of using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
The worsening security situation has displaced families along the disputed Durand Line frontier and heightened fears of broader conflict between the two neighboring countries. Afghan officials have warned that continued military actions risk further destabilizing the region.
Qane said Kabul views the latest strike as a major escalation and stressed that a response would be forthcoming. “Such attacks cannot go unanswered,” he said, reiterating that Afghan authorities consider the incident a violation of the country’s sovereignty.
There has been no immediate detailed response from Pakistani officials regarding the Kabul strike, though tensions between the two sides remain high as calls grow for restraint and international attention to the unfolding crisis.
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400 killed, hundreds wounded in Pakistan airstrike on Kabul hospital
Afghan authorities say at least 400 people were killed and around 250 others injured after Pakistani military regime struck a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul on Monday night, marking a major escalation in tensions between the two neighboring countries.
Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the government, said that the airstrike hit Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a 2,000-bed facility dedicated to the treatment of drug addiction.
“As a result of the attack, large sections of the hospital have been destroyed, and there are serious concerns about a high number of casualties. Unfortunately, the death toll has so far reached 400, while around 250 others have been reported injured,” Fitrat said on X.
The incident comes amid intensifying conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which has escalated in recent months.
Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in Afghanistan, said he was “dismayed” by fresh reports of Pakistani air strikes and resulting civilian deaths.
“My condolences. I urge parties to de-escalate, exercise maximum restraint and respect international law, including the protection of civilians and civilian objects such as hospitals,” he said in a post on X.
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IEA condemns alleged airstrike by Pakistan on drug treatment hospital in Kabul
The spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), Zabihullah Mujahid, has strongly condemned what he described as a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty following an alleged airstrike that targeted a drug treatment hospital in Kabul.
In a statement, Mujahid said the facility, where patients were undergoing treatment for drug addiction, was struck, resulting in several casualties among those receiving medical care.
“Pakistan’s military regime has once again violated our country’s airspace and targeted a drug treatment hospital in Kabul, causing a number of patients under treatment to be martyred and wounded,” Mujahid said.
He described the incident as a serious breach of humanitarian principles and international norms.
“We strongly condemn this crime in the harshest terms and consider it an act that goes against all human and moral standards,” the statement added.
Mujahid emphasized that targeting a medical facility where vulnerable patients were receiving treatment represents a clear disregard for humanitarian values and internationally recognized rules protecting medical institutions.
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