KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) 鈥� The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said Thursday it had documented the deaths of 13 civilians, mainly children and women, from the previous day, confirming the death toll given by Afghan authorities.
Pakistan had dismissed as propaganda a statement by Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid on Wednesday that the airstrikes in the provinces of Khost, Kunar and Paktika had killed 13 civilians 鈥� 11 children, one woman and one man.
The strikes shattered a month of calm following what Islamabad previously described as between the neighbors. The conflict has so far defied international efforts to bring a lasting peace.
The UN mission in Afghanistan, known by its acronym UNAMA, said in a post on X that it had 鈥渄ocumented 13 civilian deaths and 10 injuries, mainly children and women, from airstrikes鈥� overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday.
鈥淯NAMA reiterates its call for de-escalation, a durable ceasefire, protection of civilians, reopening of border crossings particularly for humanitarian assistance, and dialogue to resolve differences,鈥� it said. The , disrupting trade and transportation and stranding thousands of people.
Hundreds of people have been killed in the fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan since February, when Pakistan in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan. Several rounds of internationally mediated peace talks have failed to produce a lasting truce.
Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring militants who carry out deadly attacks inside Pakistan, especially the , known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. The group is separate from, but allied with, the Afghan Taliban, which has ruled Afghanistan since it in 2021, after the chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led troops. Kabul denies the charge.
Pakistan says its airstrikes targeted militants
Pakistan said it carried out strikes along the border with Afghanistan on Wednesday to target militant camps and hideouts.
At a weekly news conference in Islamabad, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Thursday that the strikes were conducted in response to multiple recent militant attacks inside the country.
鈥淲e carried out these strikes to target safe havens, masterminds and planners belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij,鈥� Andrabi said, using a term the government applies to the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups. 鈥淲e acted on credible intelligence, and there was selective targeting of their hideouts.鈥�
He said the safety of Pakistanis remains the government鈥檚 top priority and that operations against militants would continue. 鈥淲e continue to undertake military strikes with precision and accuracy, eliminating terrorist hideouts,鈥� he said.
Andrabi declined to comment directly on the U.N. report about the civilian casualties, saying authorities would need to review its contents. However, he questioned the U.N. methodology in documenting the casualties.
鈥淲hat is their methodology for measuring that?鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur strikes were precise and targeted at the hideouts and camps of these terrorists.鈥�
Fighting has been concentrated mainly along the border
Pakistan in February declared it was in open war with Afghanistan, following a surge in militant attacks on its civilians and security forces. The fighting has concentrated mainly along the border area but Pakistan has also carried out airstrikes on the Afghan capital, Kabul.
In March, an airstrike hit in the city, with Afghan officials saying more than 400 people were killed. Pakistan disputed the toll and denied targeting civilians, saying it had targeted an ammunition depot.
Wednesday鈥檚 strikes come months after between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Beijing later said they had agreed not to escalate their conflict and to explore a solution.
Authorities in Pakistan have said China and some other friendly countries were still encouraging both sides to reach an agreement for durable peace.
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Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece. Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.
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