UN Reports 28 Civilians Killed in Pakistan Airstrikes on Afghanistan

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) announced in a statement that at least 28 civilians were killed and 49 others wounded during Pakistani airstrikes on June 28 in the border provinces of Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar. UNAMA emphasized that women and children are among the victims, and the initial casualty figures may increase.

In response, United Nations Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stated that UN Secretary-General António Guterres is deeply concerned about the escalating violence and has called for an immediate halt to the hostilities, the protection of civilians, and the resolution of disputes between Islamabad and Kabul through diplomacy.

This comes as Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan’s Minister of Information, had previously claimed the strikes were precise and intelligence-based, targeting militant positions and resulting in the deaths of 29 fighters. However, Hamdullah Fatri, the deputy spokesperson for the interim Afghan government, rejected this claim, reporting 36 civilian deaths and 163 injuries.

Islamabad has consistently accused Kabul of harboring members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an allegation that Kabul denies.