UNAMA: Pakistani Attacks Leave Over 500 Afghan Civilians Dead or Wounded in 3 Months
DID Press: UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said that at least 70 civilians were killed and 478 others wounded in Afghanistan during the final quarter of 2025, attributing the casualties to cross-border attacks by Pakistani military forces. UNAMA described the toll as the highest recorded since 2011.
According to the report, more than 85 percent of the casualties occurred between 10 and 17 October 2025, coinciding with a sharp escalation in military tensions between Afghanistan’s de facto authorities and the Pakistani army.
On 15 October alone, UNAMA documented 457 civilian casualties—35 killed and 422 wounded—around 90 percent of them in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province.
The report says artillery shelling, mortar fire and airstrikes on residential areas in Kandahar, Khost, Paktika, Kunar, Paktia, Helmand and even Kabul city were the main causes of civilian harm. In many cases, homes were directly hit, killing or injuring entire families, particularly children. In one airstrike in Spin Boldak, 27 members of a single family were killed or wounded, including an infant just three months old.
UNAMA said attacks continued even after a ceasefire was announced on the evening of 15 October. In a 17 October strike in Paktika province, 11 civilians—including several children and members of the provincial cricket team—were killed.
The mission also reported that during November and December 2025, Pakistani airstrikes and cross-border gunfire killed at least 23 civilians and wounded dozens more, with children accounting for more than half of the victims.
Many survivors have suffered permanent disabilities, including amputations and blindness, while severe psychological trauma has been reported among victims and their families. Beyond human losses, the violence caused widespread destruction of homes, loss of livelihoods and large-scale displacement, particularly in Spin Boldak.
Citing international humanitarian law, UNAMA said the attacks raise serious concerns over violations of the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution. It urged all parties to halt the use of indirect weapons in populated areas, conduct independent investigations, hold perpetrators accountable, and ensure urgent assistance to victims, including medical care, reconstruction and compensation.