UN Confirms Civilian Deaths in Pakistani Airstrikes on Afghanistan

The United Nations on Thursday confirmed receiving credible reports that dozens of civilians, including women and children, were killed in Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan’s Paktika province.

The UN described the airstrikes, which occurred on Tuesday, as a violation of international law and called for an immediate investigation.

“International law obliges military forces to take necessary precautions to prevent civilian harm, including distinguishing between civilians and combatants in operations,” the UN statement read.

The UN Children’s Agency (UNICEF) disclosed that at least 20 children were among those killed in the attack.

“Children are not and must never be a target,” said Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF’s South Asia Director, in a statement on X.

Afghan authorities reported that the airstrikes claimed the lives of at least 46 civilians, many of whom were refugees from Pakistan’s Waziristan region.

In response to the incident, Afghanistan summoned Pakistan’s top diplomat in Kabul to lodge a formal protest.

The diplomat was handed a “serious protest note,” with Afghan officials warning that the protection of Afghanistan’s territory is a “red line” and cautioning against further “irresponsible actions,” according to a statement from the Afghan foreign ministry.

Pakistan, however, maintained that the airstrikes targeted suspected hideouts of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group responsible for numerous attacks in Pakistan.

The incident has further strained relations between the two neighboring countries, amid growing tensions over border security and counterterrorism efforts.