"At least 372 Afghan civilians were killed and 397 injured as a result of cross-border violence between Taliban forces and the Pakistani military in the first three months of 2026, the United Nations has reported, with more than half the deaths attributed to air raids on a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul."
"The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which monitors civilian casualties in Afghanistan, said its report, released on Tuesday, was based on checks with three different independent sources. The latest quarterly figure, which is higher than the casualties recorded for the period by UNAMA since 2011, included 13 women, 46 children (31 boys and 16 girls) and 313 men."
"The high proportion of men was attributed to the March 16 strikes on a Kabul drug treatment hospital, which admitted only male patients. At least 269 people were killed and 122 wounded in the attack, although the real figure may be significantly higher. Many bodies were unrecognisable due to extensive burns, according to the report."
"UNAMA called on the warring parties to respect international law by refraining from targeting health facilities or from firing shells or grenades into civilian areas. In a written response, Pakistan insisted that its actions were directed solely against terrorist and military infrastructure."
Fighting between Taliban forces and Pakistani forces intensified in February, causing civilian deaths and injuries from cross-border violence. In the first three months of 2026, at least 372 Afghan civilians were killed and 397 injured, according to UN reporting based on checks with three independent sources. More than half of the deaths were attributed to air raids on a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul. The casualty breakdown included 13 women, 46 children, and 313 men. The escalation followed the Taliban’s return to power in 2021 and intensified into open war at the end of February. Pakistan accused Kabul of sheltering armed fighters, while Afghan officials denied the claim and alleged Pakistan harbors hostile groups. UNAMA urged both sides to respect international law by avoiding attacks on health facilities and civilian areas.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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