Over 370 Afghan civilians killed in Pakistan‑Afghanistan cross‑border conflict

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented 372 Afghan civilians killed and 397 injured between 1 January and 31 March 2026 as a result of cross‑border violence between Afghan security forces and the Pakistani military. More than half of the deaths occurred in a March 16 airstrike on the Omid Drug Rehabilitation Hospital in Kabul, which killed at least 269 people, all male patients, and injured 122 others. Airstrikes accounted for 64 % of the civilian casualties, with the remaining 34 % caused by indirect cross‑border firing.

The surge in fatalities followed Pakistan’s launch of Operation Ghazab lil‑Haq on 26 February. Pakistan’s defence minister has described the situation as “open war”, while Islamabad claims its actions targeted only terrorist and military infrastructure. Afghan officials, including the Taliban‑run government, reject the claim and allege that Pakistan continues to support hostile groups.

UNAMA urged both parties to respect international humanitarian law, to avoid targeting health facilities, and to compile records of the missing. The conflict has displaced over 94,000 people in border areas and destroyed numerous homes, schools and businesses. The UN noted that the true casualty figure could be higher, calling for further investigation.