The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on deadly blast at Kabul rehab centre
“Last night’s tragic blast at a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, that reportedly left scores of patients dead, must be investigated promptly, independently and transparently, and those responsible held to account in line with international standards. Those results must be made public. Victims and victims’ families are entitled to reparations,” Al-Kheetan said.
“Witnesses described a scene of total destruction at the hospital site, and seeing hundreds of people looking for their relatives,” he said.
“Under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian objects are strictly protected. The laws of war clearly spell out that any attack must comply with the fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions. International humanitarian law provides for specific and increased protections for medical facilities,” he said.
“Since the hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated at the end of last month, 289 Afghan civilians, including 104 children and 59 women, have been killed or injured. Tens of thousands, mostly in the south and southeast of the country, have been displaced by the fighting,” the spokesperson said.
“In Pakistan, many have also been forced to flee their homes and schools have been closed.
The High Commissioner Volker Türk reiterates his call on all parties to take effective measures to ensure the protection of civilians, in line with their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law. He calls for an immediate end to hostilities, and for all parties to ensure humanitarian aid reaches those desperately in need,” he said in conclusion.
ENDS
For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Geneva
Ravina Shamdasani: +41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org
Jeremy Laurence: +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org
Thameen Al-Kheetan: +41 22 917 4232 / thameen.alkheetan@un.org
Facebook unitednationshumanrights
Instagram @unitednationshumanrights
STORY: UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on deadly blast at Kabul rehab centre
TRT: 02:25
SOURCE: OHCHR / UNOG
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 17 March 2026 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior shot: Palais des Nations
- Interior shot: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Thameen Al-Kheetan, UN Human Rights Spokesperson (OHCHR): “Lastnight’s tragic blast at a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, that reportedly left scores of patients dead, must be investigated promptly, independently and transparently, and those responsible held to account in line with international standards. Those results must be made public. Victims and victims’ families are entitled to reparations.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Thameen Al-Kheetan, UN Human Rights Spokesperson (OHCHR): “Witnesses described a scene of total destruction at the hospital site, and seeing hundreds of people looking for their relatives.
- Cut away: briefing room
SOUNDBITE (English)— Thameen Al-Kheetan, UN Human Rights Spokesperson (OHCHR): “Under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian objects are strictly protected. The laws of war clearly spell out that any attack must comply with the fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions. International humanitarian law provides for specific and increased protections for medical facilities.”
- Cut away: briefing room
SOUNDBITE (English)— Thameen Al-Kheetan, UN Human Rights Spokesperson (OHCHR): “Since the hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated at the end of last month, 289 Afghan civilians, including 104 children and 59 women, have been killed or injured. Tens of thousands, mostly in the south and southeast of the country, have been displaced by the fighting.”
- Cut away: briefing room
SOUNDBITE (English)— Thameen Al-Kheetan, UN Human Rights Spokesperson (OHCHR): “In Pakistan, many have also been forced to flee their homes and schools have been closed. The High Commissioner Volker Türk reiterates his call on all parties to take effective measures to ensure the protection of civilians, in line with their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law. He calls for an immediate end to hostilities, and for all parties to ensure humanitarian aid reaches those desperately in need.”
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights spokeperson Jeremy Laurence appealed for calm in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir amid a wave of unrest ahead of regional elections at the end of the month.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP
UN humanitarians working in war-torn Sudan warned on Friday of growing dramatic needs among the more than 100,000 displaced people now sheltering in camps in the city of El Obeid. "We are providing even not the full food ration to the people, but even that reduced food ration is being shared by the recipients with other families, because they know that they don't have any other source of income," said World Food Programme (WFP) Sudan Country Director Abdallah Alwardat.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
‘This is a fire’: DRC Ebola outbreak is fastest-growing ever, warns WHO
Infections of the Bundibugyo species of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have reached record highs and a majority of new cases are coming from “unknown chains of transmission”, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
In war-torn Sudan, a deadly new cholera outbreak has already claimed more than 100 lives, heightening serious concerns for vulnerable communities including in besieged El-Obeid, where daily drone attacks reportedly continue to hamper aid access.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL
Ceasefire reduces violence in South Lebanon, but challenges remain as communities face devastation.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Ebola continues to spread in DRC, death toll passes 500 – WHO
The outbreak of the deadly Bundibugyo species of Ebola in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is expanding, while the push to accelerate testing and identify effective treatment options continues, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
2
1
2
Statements , Conferences , Edited News | ITU , ODET , PGA , UN , UNESCO
UN chief António Guterres appealed on Monday for far-reaching, worldwide controls on Artificial Intelligence, as increasingly powerful AI chips that are designed for civilian use shift to the battlefield, where “killer robots” are already the norm.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk addressed the 62nd Human Rights Council during the Interactive Dialogue on Ukraine.
1
1
1
Edited News | WMO
More blistering heatwaves and other weather extremes are increasingly likely across the world now and in coming months linked to strengthening El Niño conditions in the tropical Pacific, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk this morning addressed the 62nd Human Rights Council during the urgent debate on the human rights situation in and around El Obeid, in Sudan.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , WHO
Venezuela earthquake aftermath: ‘breakdown of basic services’, disease risks and health workers missing – UN agencies
As search and rescue operations continue in Venezuela thousands of displaced people are struggling to find shelter while infectious diseases threaten to spread, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk today addressed the 62 Human Rights Council and made the following remarks on the report on Venezuela.