Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
March 9, 2017
Afghan officials say the death toll in an attack on a military hospital in Kabul has risen to 49.
Salim Rassouli, director of Kabul hospitals, said on March 9 that 49 people were killed in the attack on the Sardar Mohammad Khan military hospital on March 8, and at least 63 wounded.
The extremist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack in which gunmen dressed as health workers shot doctors, patients, and visitors at the 400-bed hospital.
Health Ministry spokesman Qamaruddin Sediqi confirmed the death toll of 49 but put the number of people wounded at 76. Other officials said 90 people were wounded.
Afghanistan’s largest military hospital, Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan is located close to the heavily fortified U.S. Embassy.
It took Afghan special forces several hours to neutralize the attackers.
The number of gunmen killed in the attack was also unclear. Afghan officials had spoken of four armed men. However, IS overnight published a photo of the alleged fighters including their names, showing five men.
In a statement via its affiliated news agency Amaq, the militant group claimed that 400 people were killed or wounded.
Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa
Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.
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