UN Confirms Civilian Fatalities in Pakistani Strikes on Afghanistan
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has confirmed that at least 10 civilians were killed and nine others were injured in aerial attacks that took place on Thursday in the Afghan provinces of Kunar and Helmand. The majority of those killed were children.
UNAMA stated in a statement that civilians continue to be affected by cross-border conflicts. Just one week prior, on September 21, UNAMA confirmed the deaths of at least three civilians and the injuries of four others in another airstrike in Kunar province.
According to the statement, UNAMA has registered over 1,100 civilian casualties from cross-border armed violence in Afghanistan in 2026 alone. The mission reiterated its call for de-escalation, dialogue, respect for international law, and the prevention of further harm to civilians.
Earlier, the Afghan Taliban government announced that Pakistan’s airstrikes on Thursday had resulted in nine deaths and 11 injuries. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that three homes were destroyed in Kunar and Helmand provinces, with women and children among the casualties. Mujahid described the attacks as an “aggression and crime.”
Reuters, citing the Pakistani government, reported that 22 terrorists were killed in these attacks and a significant amount of weaponry was destroyed. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information, in a statement, confirmed the attack, asserting that “based on credible intelligence, precise and targeted operations were conducted against terrorist camps and hideouts in two locations within Afghanistan, belonging to the groups ‘Fitna Al-Khawarij’ and ‘Fitna Al-Hind’, and their allied groups.”
These attacks occur at a time of heightened tensions and conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan, following a period of relative calm. Islamabad accuses the Taliban of harboring militants who carry out cross-border attacks against Pakistan, an accusation the Taliban denies, labeling insecurity in Pakistan as an internal issue.
