United Nations migration company warns that escalating violence on Afghanistan-Pakistan border dangers additional displacement.
Revealed On 4 Mar 2026
The United Nations says almost 66,000 folks have been displaced in Afghanistan as heavy shelling and explosions marked a seventh day of fighting alongside the nation’s border with Pakistan.
The UN’s Worldwide Group for Migration (IOM) on Wednesday warned of “escalating cross-border hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan and their rising humanitarian affect on civilians and folks on the transfer”.
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“The continued navy confrontation alongside the Durand Line has reportedly resulted in civilian casualties, harm to essential infrastructure, and the displacement of almost 66,000 folks in jap and southeastern Afghanistan,” the company mentioned in a statement.
“These developments threat additional displacement, accelerating returns, and exacerbating vulnerabilities in communities which can be already overstretched and under-resourced.”
The neighbouring nations are experiencing their worst fighting in years after Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities launched an operation final week towards the Pakistani navy alongside the two,640km (1,640-mile) Durand Line, which separates the 2 nations.
The Taliban mentioned the operation was in response to deadly Pakistani air strikes in late February.
Pakistani authorities have mentioned the strikes goal to cease armed fighters from utilizing Afghan territory to assault the nation following weeks of violence and heightened tensions between the 2 sides.
Rana Sanaullah, a political adviser to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, advised Geo TV that Islamabad had achieved most targets, however operations continued.
“Most coaching centres have been eradicated,” he mentioned, including that Pakistan wished “verifiable proof” that Afghan soil wouldn’t be used for assaults.
Combating alongside the Afghan-Pakistani border has ebbed and flowed for per week, with either side claiming heavy losses and territorial positive factors.
The 2 nations reported heavy hearth on Wednesday, with Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry saying Taliban forces shot down a Pakistani drone and captured seven border posts.
The ministry mentioned 110 civilians, together with 65 girls and youngsters, had been killed because the combating started and 123 wounded. The UN’s Help Mission in Afghanistan has reported 42 deaths.
Pakistan has not commented on Afghan civilian casualties.
A spokesman for Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry estimated Pakistani fatalities amongst troops at round 150, whereas Pakistan says greater than 430 Afghan troopers have been killed.
Al Jazeera has not been capable of confirm casualty claims from both aspect.
In the meantime, the UN’s World Meals Programme (WFP) warned earlier this week that residents of greater than 46 districts throughout Afghanistan already confronted “extreme meals insecurity” earlier than the intensified combating broke out.
“Throughout these provinces, WFP has been pressured to briefly droop emergency, social safety, college feeding and livelihood actions,” the company mentioned on Tuesday. “Roughly 160,000 folks have been impacted by the suspension of emergency meals distributions.”
In Kunar province within the northeast of the nation, a 30-year-old labourer advised the AFP information company that the violence had prevented folks from attending to the market.
“Hundreds of households have left the village” of Sirkanay, mentioned Asadullah, who solely gave one identify.
“In some homes, just one particular person has stayed to protect the house, and the remainder have left,” he mentioned. “The village has develop into empty.”
