The United Nations said Tuesday it has documented dozens of civilian casualties following strikes in Afghanistan a day earlier, with Taliban officials blaming neighboring Pakistan for the attacks.
According to UN figures, hundreds of people have been killed since the two countries entered into conflict in late February, though violence had eased in recent weeks.
A renewed surge in fighting in Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province on Monday left seven civilians dead and 85 others injured, a provincial health official said. The UN mission in Afghanistan, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, reported “tens of civilians killed or injured” in strikes that hit a university and other areas of the provincial capital, Asadabad.
Afghanistan’s foreign ministry condemned the attacks as a “clear breach of the country’s territorial integrity” and summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires in Kabul. Pakistan’s information ministry, however, denied targeting residential areas or the university, calling the allegations a “blatant lie.”
At the university in Asadabad, damage was visible, including shattered windows and broken solar panels. Students described scenes of panic during the strikes. Irfanullah, a 20-year-old psychology student, said classmates dropped to the floor after hearing a loud explosion. “Each student tried to get to a safe place, but the windows were broken and some of the students were wounded,” he said.
Another student, Ibadullah, said he fled the building after a strike hit. “Students ran, shoes and books were left on the ground,” the 23-year-old said. Both declined to provide full names for security reasons.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained tense since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021. The latest violence follows months of clashes along the border, including rare Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan cities such as Kabul.
Although a brief ceasefire was reached in March and mediation efforts led by China aimed to prevent further escalation, distrust persists. Islamabad has accused Afghan authorities of harboring militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan—claims the Taliban government denies.
The border between the two countries has largely remained shut since deadly clashes in October, significantly disrupting bilateral trade and movement.
Comments are closed.