UNAMA: New Update on Civilian Casualties in Afghanistan

DID Press: United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan says more than 750 civilians were killed or injured during cross-border violence between Pakistan and the de facto authorities in Afghanistan during the first three months of 2026.

According to the UN report, between January 1 and March 31, at least 372 civilians were killed and 397 others wounded amid intensified clashes and airstrikes along the Afghanistan–Pakistan frontier.

UNAMA stated that the deadliest escalation followed the launch of Pakistan’s military campaign known as “Ghazab-ul-Haq” on February 26. The report says the majority of casualties were linked to a March 16 airstrike on the “Omid” addiction treatment hospital in Kabul, where at least 269 people were reportedly killed and 122 injured.

Airstrikes accounted for most civilian casualties

The mission reported that airstrikes were responsible for 64 percent of all civilian casualties recorded during the reporting period. Of the 95 documented security incidents, 94 were attributed to Pakistani forces.

According to the findings, Kabul accounted for 55 percent of total casualties, followed by Kunar Province and Paktika Province.

The victims included 554 men, 95 boys, 72 women, and 48 girls.

Accounts from survivors

UNAMA also published testimonies from survivors and affected residents. One resident from Barmal district in Paktika said 14 members of his family were killed in an airstrike, describing scenes in which bodies had to be collected in bags due to the severity of the blast.

Another resident from Khost Province said a mortar shell struck near his family, killing his four-year-old daughter and injuring his wife.

Pakistan rejects allegations

The Pakistani embassy in Kabul denied accusations that civilian facilities were targeted, stating that no hospitals, addiction treatment centers, or civilian infrastructure had been intentionally struck.

UNAMA further warned that the continued violence has displaced more than 94,000 people and damaged homes, schools, mosques, and healthcare centers in border regions.