Afghan woman Feroza Omar breastfeeds newborns left without mothers after Kabul attack

An Afghan mother identified as Feroza Younis Omar has been hailed for volunteering to breastfeed 20 newborn babies who were left without their own mothers or families after a deadly attack on a maternity hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan.

“All of us have been damaged by criminals who are destroying humanity in Afghanistan. I am one of those,” Omar was quoted as saying by Afghan media outlet TOLOnews.

Three gunmen stormed a Kabul maternity hospital Tuesday as parents brought infants and children for appointments at the unit run by the medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF). The attack left 24 people were killed, including mothers and babies.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

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At least twenty newborns were left without caretakers and were transferred to the Ataturk Hospital in Kabul.

“Twenty babies have been brought to Ataturk Hospital. One of them was sent to the children’s health hospital for orthopedic treatment,” Jannat Gul Askarzada, head doctor at Ataturk Hospital told TOLOnews.

On Thursday, Afghan people on social media began tweeting about Omar under a hashtag bearing her name.

“That is the Humanity to feed the baby of martyred Mother,” Masoom Musakhail tweeted.

Senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment Karim Sadjadpour called Omar a true hero.

Afghan women sit in an ambulance after being rescued by security forces during an attack and gunfire at a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Reuters)

“Feroza Omar is a true hero. 20 newborn babies lost their caretakers after the barbaric attack on a maternity hospital in Kabul. Feroza, the mother of a 14-month-old child, rushed to the hospital to feed them, and inspired other women to do the same,” Sadjadpour tweeted.

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Unknown gunmen attack Doctors Without Borders clinic in Afghanistan’s Kabul

Attack on Afghanistan hospital kills 24 people including infants

The head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday he was “shocked and appalled” by the deadly attack.

“I was shocked and appalled to hear of the attack on an MSF hospital in Afghanistan, which led to the deaths of nurses, mothers and babies,” Tedros said.

“Civilians and health workers should never be a target,” he added.

(With inputs from AFP)