UN Warns of Risks to Civilians and Humanitarian Workers Near Torkham Amid Renewed Clashes

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has issued a warning that recent clashes near the Torkham crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan have endangered the lives of civilians, returning families, and humanitarian workers. In the fighting that occurred on Wednesday, a local child was killed and a humanitarian worker providing aid to families returning from Pakistan was injured.

Despite rising tensions, the UN and its humanitarian partners continue to operate in the area, delivering services to vulnerable families at the Torkham crossing and reception and transit centers. According to OCHA, since the beginning of the year through early October, over 600,000 people have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan via this crossing, accounting for more than 85 percent of all registered returnees from Pakistan.

OCHA emphasized that repeated clashes could further threaten the safety of residents living near the border line, returning families, and aid workers. Previous tensions had also temporarily closed the crossing and forced the relocation of some humanitarian services to other areas.

The international agency has called on all parties involved in the conflict to ensure the protection of civilians, civilian infrastructure, humanitarian workers, and aid distribution centers, and to guarantee safe access for vulnerable families to humanitarian aid services.