UN Confirms 13 Civilians K!lled in Pakistani Airstr!kes on Eastern Afghanistan. -

On Monday, February 23, 2026, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed that at least 13 civilians were killed and seven others injured following overnight Pakistani airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan. The mission reported receiving “credible reports” that the strikes, which took place late Saturday night into early Sunday morning (February 21–22), impacted the Behsud and Khogyani districts of Nangarhar province.

Escalation and Conflicting Accounts

The airstrikes have triggered a sharp diplomatic and security crisis between the neighboring nations:

Civilian Toll: UNAMA’s preliminary figures indicate the deceased and injured include women and children. While the UN confirmed 13 deaths, Taliban authorities have claimed a higher toll, stating at least 18 civilians were killed in Behsud alone.
Pakistan’s Stance: Pakistani officials described the mission as an “intelligence-based, selective operation” targeting seven camps belonging to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISKP. Pakistan claimed to have killed nearly 70–80 militants in retaliation for recent suicide and car bomb attacks inside its territory.
Afghan Response: The Taliban-led government condemned the strikes as a blatant violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and international law, vowing a “calculated response at an appropriate time”.
Geographical Scope: In addition to Nangarhar, strikes were reported in the Barmal and Urgun districts of Paktika province, hitting a madrassa and partially damaging a mosque, though no civilian casualties were confirmed in these specific areas by the UN.

Regional Impact

The incident has severely strained the delicate ceasefire agreed upon in October 2025, raising fears of a renewed cycle of retaliatory violence along the 2,600-km frontier. Residents in affected villages have been seen searching through rubble as humanitarian organizations express deep concern over the rising civilian casualties in the border region.

Disclaimer: This post is for informational and reporting purposes based on statements from the United Nations and international news agencies. The details of the incident and the official stance of both governments are subject to ongoing diplomatic developments and official security reports.