Kabul has been thrust into mourning as the United Nations reports a devastating toll from recent Pakistani airstrikes. In just four days from February 26 to March 1, 34 Afghan civilians lost their lives, with 89 others wounded. Among the victims are vulnerable children and women, highlighting the human cost of escalating border tensions.
UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric shared these preliminary figures during a Tuesday press briefing. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is actively documenting the casualties. ‘These numbers are initial estimates and could rise,’ Dujarric warned, as humanitarian access to border regions remains severely restricted due to ongoing clashes.
The Durand Line, the contentious 2,600-km border separating the two nations, has become a flashpoint. Afghan forces responded aggressively to Pakistan’s initial strikes on alleged terror camps on February 21-22. Kabul’s Defense Ministry claims its troops targeted key Pakistani military positions near Kabul, Khost’s Ali Sher district, Jalalabad, and Kandahar.
In Kandahar’s Spin Boldak and Shorabak districts, Afghan soldiers reportedly seized three Pakistani posts, killing three soldiers and capturing one. Tolo News confirmed captures in Ali Sher as well. This back-and-forth has intensified, with both sides launching cross-border attacks.
Pakistan retaliated with ‘Operation Gajab Lil-Haq,’ where its air force bombed Afghan military sites in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia. The conflict stems from mutual accusations of harboring militants and cross-border incursions. Recent months have seen relations deteriorate sharply.
Thousands of Afghan refugees fleeing Pakistan face dire conditions, with UN agencies struggling to provide aid. Experts fear a surge in refugee inflows, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. As clashes persist, calls for de-escalation grow louder, but both militaries show no signs of backing down. The international community watches anxiously, urging dialogue to prevent further bloodshed.