UN Reports Majority of Civilian Casualties in Recent Pakistani Airstrikes Are Women and Children
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has reported that recent airstrikes conducted by the Pakistani military on certain areas in eastern Afghanistan have resulted in the deaths of at least 13 civilians and injuries to 10 others. According to the agency, the majority of the victims are women and children.
UNAMA confirmed on Wednesday through a message posted on the social media platform X that it has documented civilian casualties following the dawn attacks in the provinces of Kunar, Khost, and Paktika. The agency, without mentioning any possible military targets, emphasized that the protection of civilians in any military operation is a fundamental principle of international humanitarian law.
At the same time, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban administration, stated that these attacks killed 13 people, including 11 children, one woman, and one man, and wounded 14 other women and children. The Taliban administration condemned the strikes as a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty. However, critics argue that the administration is obligated to take practical and transparent measures to ensure the security of residents in border areas and prevent repeated incidents like this.
On the other hand, Pakistani officials have offered a different account. Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan’s Minister of Information, claimed that the Pakistani military targeted “safe havens and hideouts of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) elements” within Afghan territory, resulting in the deaths of 26 members of this group.
Security tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have escalated in recent months. Islamabad has frequently accused the Taliban administration of harboring members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an allegation that Taliban officials have denied. The increasing border clashes and civilian casualties have raised concerns about the humanitarian consequences and further instability in the eastern regions of Afghanistan.
