KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – António Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, called for an immediate cessation of hostilities between the Taliban and Pakistan and urged the protection of civilians after Pakistani airstrikes killed and injured dozens of people in eastern Afghanistan.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that Guterres urges both Pakistan and the Taliban authorities to resolve their differences through diplomacy. He stressed that all parties must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law.
“We continue to call on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and continue to stress that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times,” Dujarric said.
He cited the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which confirmed that the strikes in the provinces of Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar on Sunday night killed at least 28 civilians, including women and children, and wounded 49 others. The Taliban reported higher casualties of 36 killed and 163 wounded.
Dujarric noted that the latest attacks have reportedly triggered displacement in the affected areas. Humanitarian partners on the ground are assessing needs and preparing to provide emergency assistance, he added.
Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, also called on both sides to avoid further escalation and prioritize civilian safety.
“Civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be targeted,” Egeland said in a post on X. “We urge both Pakistani and Afghan military forces to uphold international humanitarian law and resolve their disputes through dialogue.”
The European Union, UNICEF, U.N. Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett, and the UK envoy for Afghanistan also called for restraint and the protection of civilians.
The Taliban strongly condemned the strikes as “cowardly” and an “atrocity.” They summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in Kabul and lodged a “strong protest” over what they said as a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty.
Pakistan said the operation targeted hideouts of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants and its breakaway faction Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, killing 25 militants in response to recent terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.
The strikes represent a further escalation in tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban authorities. Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of harbouring TTP fighters who use Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan, an allegation the Taliban deny.
Cross-border violence has intensified since late last year. Despite mediation efforts by China, Russia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the two sides have yet to reach a ceasefire agreement.
