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The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has raised serious concerns over reports of civilian casualties resulting from overnight airstrikes conducted by Pakistani military forces inside Afghan territory.
In a press statement issued on Monday, the mission confirmed it has received "credible reports of civilian casualties as a result of overnight airstrikes carried out by Pakistan inside Afghanistan late on 21 February and into the early hours of 22 February." According to the mission, the strikes targeted multiple locations across the Nangarhar and Paktika provinces. Providing specific details on the Nangarhar incident, UNAMA stated, "On 21 February, at approximately 23:45 to 00:15 on 22 February, Pakistani military forces conducted airstrikes in Behsud and Khogyani districts in Nangarhar province." The statement further noted that "preliminary civilian casualty figures indicate at least 13 civilians were killed and seven others injured, including women and children." The military action also extended to Paktika province, where educational and religious structures were reportedly affected. "Pakistani military forces also conducted airstrikes in Barmal and Urgun districts in Paktika province. In the first reported incident, on 21 February, at approximately 23:15, in Barmal district, Marghai area, an airstrike impacted a madrassa, and partially damaged a nearby mosque," the statement read. In the second reported incident, "at approximately 23:30 in Urgun district, Dahna area, an airstrike impacted and partially destroyed a vacant private residential house. No civilian casualties have been reported so far." Reacting to these developments, Amnesty International South Asia expressed deep concern, calling for a "thorough, independent, and impartial investigation" into the alleged harm. In a post on X, the organisation noted that "this is not the first time civilians have borne the brunt of the use of force," citing previous UNAMA data which attributed 70 civilian deaths to Pakistani forces between October and December 2025 during intensified border clashes. On the other hand, reports from Geo News, citing Islamabad''s security sources, indicated that more than 80 people were killed across seven locations in Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost provinces. These sources identified targets including "New Centre No. 1 and New Centre No. 2 in Nangarhar, Khwariji Maulvi Abbas Centre in Khost, Khwariji Islam Centre and Khwariji Ibrahim Centre in Nangarhar, and Khwariji Mullah Rahbar and Khwariji Mukhlis Yar in Paktika." Pakistan''s State Minister for Interior, Talal Chaudhry, stated that nearly 70 militants had been "neutralised" in what the government described as "precise and accurate" retaliatory strikes against camps belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij, a term used for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Daesh-Khorasan. Islamabad maintained the operation was a response to recent suicide bombings in Islamabad, Bajaur, and Bannu orchestrated by handlers based in Afghanistan. Chaudhry alleged that Afghanistan has become a source of cross-border militancy and claimed the Afghan Taliban had failed to honour the 2020 Doha Agreement pledge to prevent Afghan soil from being used for terrorism. He highlighted that Pakistan is taking necessary measures to safeguard its citizens, including thousands of domestic intelligence-based operations. Amidst this escalation, the UN mission urged an immediate end to hostilities to protect civilians. "UNAMA calls on all parties to bring a lasting end to hostilities to protect civilians and prevent further loss of life and injury," the mission stated. The mission reminded all parties of their obligations under international law to comply with the principles of "distinction, proportionality and precaution to prevent civilian casualties." (ANI)
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