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UN Calls for De-escalation Amid Afghanistan-Pakistan Tensions

October 2, 2026
TOLOnews
TV Network
2 October 2026

Stéphane Dujarric has once again called for de-escalation, dialogue, and respect for international law to prevent further harm to civilians.

The spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General says that continued tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan continue to put civilians at risk.

Stéphane Dujarric has once again called for de-escalation, dialogue, and respect for international law to prevent further harm to civilians.

Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said: “The United Nations has called for de-escalation, dialogue, and respect for international law to prevent further harm to civilians. It is clear that civilians there must be protected, just as they must be protected everywhere.”

The European Union has also expressed regret over the airstrikes in Kunar and Helmand and called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue to resolve tensions.

The European Union said in a statement: “We regret the loss of civilian lives following airstrikes in Kunar and Helmand. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has confirmed that at least 10 civilians were killed, most of them children, and nine others were injured. We call on both sides to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue. Afghanistan’s de facto authorities must take effective measures against terrorist groups operating within or from Afghan territory.”

Meanwhile, Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, described Pakistan’s attacks as a clear violation of human rights and international law and stressed the need for accountability.

Zalmay Khalilzad, former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, has also called for an end to the killing of innocent Afghans.

Khalilzad said: “Very sad news from Afghanistan. Pakistani airstrikes have once again killed civilians, including several children. As before, I strongly condemn these attacks. The killing of innocent Afghans must stop.”

Zamir Kabulov, the Russian President’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, says tensions between Kabul and Islamabad will be discussed at the eighth meeting of the Moscow Format on Afghanistan.

He told the newspaper Izvestia that Russia is ready to use the Moscow platform to bring the two sides closer and help them reach “reasonable compromises.”

Izvestia quoted Kabulov as saying: “Of course, this issue will be raised, and we will be glad to use the Moscow platform to bring the two sides involved closer to some reasonable compromises.”

This is the third time in less than two weeks that Pakistan’s military has carried out airstrikes in the middle of the night.

While Pakistan claimed yesterday that it had targeted two hideouts in Afghanistan, UNAMA confirmed in a statement that 10 civilians were killed and nine others were injured as a result of the airstrikes in Kunar and Helmand.

UN Calls for De-escalation Amid Afghanistan-Pakistan Tensions
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Kandahar governor denies hosting militant leaders’ talks on attacks in Pakistan

October 2, 2026

By Abdul Qahar Afghan and Elena Becatoros | AP

October 2, 2026 

KABUL, Afghanistan — The governor of Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province on Friday denied a claim by Pakistan that he had hosted senior militant figures for talks on escalating attacks inside Pakistan.

The office of the governor, Mohammad Shirin Akhund, dismissed the claim made on Thursday by Pakistani army spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif as “propaganda.”

“Pakistani military circles are attempting, through these baseless claims, to justify the killing of civilians in Afghanistan and their own other crimes,” the governor’s office said.

Sharif alleged at a televised news conference on Thursday that members of several militant groups had met in Kandahar on Aug. 26.

He said the meeting was attended by members of the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, an ethnic separatist group fighting for an independent Balochistan; al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent, or AQIS, the global militant network’s South Asian affiliate; and the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, an independent Pakistani Islamist militant network rooted in North Waziristan.

Sharif did not explain how Pakistani authorities learned of the alleged gathering or present evidence to support the claim.

His remarks came hours after Pakistan said it had carried out airstrikes in two Afghan provinces . Afghan officials and the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan said the strikes in Helmand and Kunar provinces had killed at least 10 civilians, most of them children.

Richard Bennett, United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, said the strikes appeared to violate international human rights and humanitarian law.

“Accountability is paramount after another airstrike that has killed civilians, most of them children,” Bennett posted on X. “Is this incompetence, negligence or worse? Whatever, there is no justification for doing such irreparable harm to civilians and it appears to violate international human rights and humanitarian law.”

Cross-border fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan has continued for months despite international mediation efforts. Pakistan has carried out airstrikes across several Afghan provinces, including in the capital Kabul, while Afghan fighters have carried out cross-border raids into Pakistan.

Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of sheltering militants responsible for cross-border attacks, particularly the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP. The TTP is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan in 2021 and have ruled the country since.

Pakistan has faced a surge in militant violence, much of it blamed on the TTP and Baloch separatists. Balochistan has endured a long-running insurgency by groups that accuse Pakistan of discriminating against the province and exploiting its natural resources.

Kandahar governor denies hosting militant leaders’ talks on attacks in Pakistan
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Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan kill 10 civilians, Kabul and UN say

October 2, 2026
By ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN and ELENA BECATOROS
Associated Press
October 1, 2026

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Pakistani airstrikes on two Afghan provinces overnight killed at least 10 civilians, Afghanistan and the United Nations said Thursday, with the cross-border conflict between the two countries showing no signs of abating.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said its strikes were against militant hideouts in two locations and that initial reports suggested 22 militants had been killed. It did not immediately comment on the reports of civilian casualties. Its claim of militants killed could not immediately be independently verified.

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan confirmed that at least 10 civilians, most of them children, were killed in the strikes on the southern province of Helmand and the eastern province of Kunar. It said nine people were injured in the airstrikes.

The strikes come amid repeated cross-border clashes between the two countries, while Pakistan has repeatedly carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan since tensions between the two countries spiraled dramatically earlier this year. The two neighbors have longstanding disputes over militant activity along their border.

“Civilians continue to be affected by cross-border hostilities. UNAMA reiterates its call for de-escalation, dialogue, respect for international law and prevention of further civilian harm,” the U.N. mission said in a statement.

Last week, UNAMA said it had documented over 1,100 civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan from cross-border violence so far this year. Pakistan denies striking civilians and says it targets militants who carry out attacks inside Pakistan. Afghanistan denies harboring militants.

The spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Taliban government, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the airstrikes destroyed three civilian homes.

“We condemn this act and consider this an act of aggression and a crime that violates all universally accepted principles,” he said.

Mohammad Hashim, a 30-year-old resident of the village that was bombed in Kunar province, said the strike occurred at around 3 a.m.

“I heard a woman calling out, asking for the stones to be moved off her; she was trapped underneath,” he said. “We pulled her out, she was injured.” He said that digging through the rubble, he also found the bodies of two men and four children.

Another local resident, 32-year-old Mohammad Habib, said one of those killed was a shepherd who was not affiliated with any militant or government groups.

“He was a very poor and humble man. He would let his goats out in the morning without anyone even herding them, and they would go out in the morning and return home in the evening, and (Pakistan) martyred him,” he said.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said the airstrikes were “well planned and calibrated” against militant hideouts and camps, and had “been carried out in Afghanistan with precision and accuracy.” It added that large quantities of weapons and ammunition were located in the hideouts and were destroyed.

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of allowing militants, particularly the Pakistani Taliban — formally known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP — to operate from Afghan territory and carry out attacks inside Pakistan. The TTP is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, who have ruled Afghanistan since seizing power in 2021. Kabul denies providing the group a safe haven and has rejected Pakistan’s accusations.

“The threat to Pakistan emanates from Afghanistan,” Pakistan’s ministry said. “Our action precisely targeted the terrorist hubs.”

“Maximum precautions were taken and it was ensured that no collateral damage occurs,” the statement said and added that its campaign “will continue at full pace to wipe out” the threat of militants from the country.

Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.

 

Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan kill 10 civilians, Kabul and UN say
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American University of Afghanistan at Risk of Closure Amid Funding Cuts

October 2, 2026

Elian Peltier is the bureau chief for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Yaqoob Akbary and Safiullah Padshah reported from Kabul.

The New York Times

Oct. 2, 2026

The American University of Afghanistan, one of the most potent symbols of the United States’ decades in the country, has lost its State Department funding, putting the education of hundreds of Afghan women at risk, the school’s president said.

The State Department on Tuesday denied the university’s application for $25 million in funding for the next two years, according to David Edwards, a professor and the interim president of the university. As a condition of remaining open, it must partner with the American University of Central Asia, based in Kyrgyzstan.

Professor Edwards said he would work with the university in Kyrgyzstan, even though that campus does not offer remote instruction, the only way women in Afghanistan can receive higher education. The American University of Afghanistan serves about 1,000 students, all online, three-quarters of whom are women. About 90 percent of the students are in Afghanistan, with teachers in the country and abroad.

“We are the only venue for education for a whole generation of Afghans, and this point seems to be lost on the current administration,” Professor Edwards said.

The university faced allegations of mismanagement in 2019, under previous leadership, when U.S. officials said that more than $60 million had gone missing.

Professor Edwards said the university had addressed those issues, and that all of its audits have been clean since 2021.

The State Department described the university as a “private entity.” It said the United States remained dedicated to supporting Afghan women and girls’ education through remote education programs. “We are currently working to identify implementing partners who can responsibly administer these programs,” it said.

An anthropology professor who assumed the university’s interim leadership in March, Professor Edwards visited British and German universities this summer to seek alternative funding and said he didn’t know how the university would finance the next semester.

When the Taliban overthrew the U.S.-backed Afghan government in 2021, the university’s foreign staff were evacuated and some students fled to Iraq, the United States and other countries. Others remained in Afghanistan but went into hiding. The Taliban had condemned the university, calling it a place where Americans tried to corrupt the minds of Muslims.

A large chunk of U.S.A.I.D. funds had gone into building the university campus in the heart of Kabul. But the Taliban seized it and established their own institution there, the Afghan International Islamic University, where 1,000 students now study Islamic law, engineering, medicine and other subjects.

All of them are men.

More than 2.6 million Afghan girls and women have been barred from formal education beyond sixth grade under the Taliban, according to UNESCO. Some study in secret schools that the Taliban tolerate but can close at any time.

The university suspended operations for one semester last year after the Trump administration announced the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. It also closed a satellite campus in Qatar. This year, it laid off more than 40 employees and downsized admissions because of funding cuts, Professor Edwards said.

With the university’s future in doubt, students say they may lose their best opportunity to study in Afghanistan under the current Taliban government.

Sara, a computer-science student, went back to her studies last year after an eight-year gap, when she started a family. She studies Python code, business and Afghan history in the afternoon and at night, once she has put her 7-year-old daughter to bed.

“This is the only place where I see a future for myself,” said Sara, 26. Tuition fees at other online institutions are too high, she said, and most jobs are out of reach because she lacks an undergraduate degree.

Katayoon Sultani, 28, said that the funding cuts at the university made her feel powerless. In the meantime, she balances five courses, including political science, accounting and creative writing, while freelancing as a digital marketing consultant.

About 200 of the 980 current students are men.

Mohammad Numan Zullal, 29, obtained his M.B.A. from the university in May and plans to start a job with the Japan International Cooperation Agency in Afghanistan later this year. He said his master’s degree led to the job, and that his monthly salary of $2,500 would help support his parents and two younger brothers.

He said there would be other opportunities for male students if the university closed, but very few options left for Afghan female students.

Elian Peltier is The Times’s bureau chief for Pakistan and Afghanistan, based in Islamabad.

American University of Afghanistan at Risk of Closure Amid Funding Cuts
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Pakistani airstrikes kill nine in Afghanistan, Taliban say

October 1, 2026

Al-Monitor

Reuters

Oct 1, 2026

KABUL, Oct 1 (Reuters) – Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan hit three houses on Thursday, killing nine people, the Afghan Taliban government said, while Islamabad said the strikes killed 22 “terrorists” after targeting their hideouts.

The airstrikes mark an escalation in fighting between the neighbours after three months of relative calm.

Those killed in the strikes on Afghanistan’s Kunar and Helmand provinces included women and children, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on social media website X, adding that 11 people were also injured.

“We condemn this act as an aggression and crime in violation of all accepted principles,” he said.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said at least 10 civilians were killed in the strikes, most of them children, and nine others were injured.

Pakistan’s information ministry said the strikes were based on “credible intelligence” and targeted terrorist hideouts at two locations.

“Targets were destroyed with precision and initial reports suggest killing of 22 terrorists,” it said in a statement on X.

“Large quantities of weapons and ammunition stored at these hideouts were also destroyed,” it said.

Reuters could not independently verify the information.

A militant attack on a police facility in northwestern Pakistan last month, which killed 24 people, rekindled tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which in February had engaged in their worst fighting in years.

The allies-turned-foes have increasingly been at odds over militancy, with Islamabad accusing Kabul ofharbouring militants who stage cross-border attacks.

The Taliban government denies the charge and says militancy is Pakistan’s internal problem.

Islamabad has conducted multiple airstrikes on Afghanistan over the last two weeks, which it said hit terror camps and killedmilitants.

Kabul has said the strikes killed civilians.

Afghanistan’s defence ministry said on Sunday its forces had killed 28 fighters and wounded 32 after a group it said included Islamic State militants crossed from Pakistan.

Islamabad had rejected the allegations.

(Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul and Rick Noack in Islamabad; Writing by Devika Nair and Sakshi Dayal; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Stephen Coates and Gareth Jones)

Pakistani airstrikes kill nine in Afghanistan, Taliban say
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Russia to Host Eighth Moscow Format Talks on Afghanistan on October 5

October 1, 2026
Khaama Press

Russia will host the eighth round of the Moscow Format consultations on Afghanistan on October 5, bringing together Afghan officials and representatives from neighboring and regional countries to discuss political, economic and security issues concerning Afghanistan, Russian officials said.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the meeting will bring together special representatives and senior officials from Afghanistan, Russia, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Belarus and Egypt have also been invited as guests.

The Afghan delegation will be led by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is also expected to hold a separate meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the consultations. According to the Russian side, the bilateral talks will focus on current issues in relations and cooperation between Russia and Afghanistan.

The broader meeting is expected to focus on political and economic cooperation, regional engagement with Afghanistan, counterterrorism and efforts to combat drug trafficking. Participants are also expected to discuss ways to strengthen regional cooperation on issues affecting Afghanistan and its neighbors. A joint statement is expected to be issued at the conclusion of the meeting.

The Moscow Format was established in 2017 as a regional platform for consultations on Afghanistan. Previous meetings have brought together Russia and Afghanistan’s neighbors and other regional stakeholders to discuss security, terrorism, narcotics, economic cooperation and Afghanistan’s political future.

At the seventh meeting in Moscow in October 2025, participants called for stronger regional cooperation against terrorism and drug trafficking and emphasized economic and trade cooperation with Afghanistan. The meeting also opposed the establishment of foreign military infrastructure in Afghanistan and neighboring countries.

Russia to Host Eighth Moscow Format Talks on Afghanistan on October 5
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UNAMA Says 10 Civilians Killed in Pakistani Airstrikes on Afghanistan

October 1, 2026
Khaama Press

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said at least 10 civilians were killed in Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan’s Kunar and Helmand provinces, with most of the victims reported to be children.

UNAMA said nine other people were injured in the strikes, which occurred as tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan continued to escalate after several months of relative calm. The mission said civilians continue to bear the impact of cross-border hostilities and called for an immediate reduction in tensions.

The Taliban initially reported that nine civilians, including women and children, were killed and 11 others wounded. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes hit residential areas and destroyed three houses in Kunar and Helmand. Local residents also described damage to homes and civilian casualties.

Pakistan gave a sharply different account, saying its forces carried out “well planned and calibrated” strikes against militant hideouts at two locations in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said initial reports indicated that 22 militants had been killed and weapons and ammunition destroyed, while claiming precautions had been taken to prevent civilian casualties.

The latest strikes come amid renewed tensions between Islamabad and Kabul. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban authorities of allowing armed groups, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to operate from Afghanistan territory and launch attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban authorities reject the accusation and have maintained that insecurity inside Pakistan is an internal issue.

The United Nations has repeatedly urged both sides to protect civilians and comply with international humanitarian law. UNAMA previously documented significant civilian casualties from cross-border violence and has called on all parties to observe the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution.

UNAMA Says 10 Civilians Killed in Pakistani Airstrikes on Afghanistan
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Noori Warns Pakistan, Calls on Islamic Emirate Opponents to Clarify Demands

October 1, 2026
TOLOnews
TV Network
30 September 2026

Noorullah Noori said the IE believes in dialogue and understanding with its opponents, but warned that any armed opposition would be met with a strong response.

The Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, speaking at a gathering in Kabul, called on opponents of the Islamic Emirate to clearly state what changes they seek in Afghanistan and to spell out their demands.

Noorullah Noori said the Islamic Emirate believes in dialogue and understanding with its opponents, but warned that any armed opposition would be met with a strong response.

Noori, said: “Those who have left Afghanistan have no problem with the Islamic Emirate and can return to the country, but they should not allow themselves to be incited by others into trying to destabilize the country.”

In another part of his remarks, the senior Islamic Emirate official warned Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies not to further test the patience and tolerance of the Afghan people.

Noori stressed that the influence of regional intelligence agencies has now been eliminated from the country and that the Islamic system is in control across Afghanistan.

Noorullah Noori, Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, added: “Based on Islamic principles, we want good relations with all our neighbors and countries in the region. But when you [Pakistan] throw the snow from your roof onto ours, spread rumors, and make complaints at meetings and in the media, you should first look at yourselves. God willing, a day will come when we will take our revenge and deliver a crushing response.”

The warning by the Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs to Pakistan comes a day after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in Kabul over the recent clashes in Kamdesh district of Nuristan and handed him a formal note of protest.

Noori Warns Pakistan, Calls on Islamic Emirate Opponents to Clarify Demands
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UNODC Warns Afghanistan’s Interlinked Crises Are Increasing Risks of Crime and Exploitation

September 30, 2026
Khaama Press

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has warned that overlapping crises in Afghanistan, including restrictions on women and girls, declining humanitarian assistance and large-scale returns of Afghans from neighbouring countries, are increasing risks of crime, exploitation and instability.

In a statement issued Tuesday, September 29, UNODC said addressing these challenges is important not only for Afghanistan’s future but also for regional and global security. The agency said the combination of social, economic and humanitarian pressures is deepening existing vulnerabilities across the country.

UNODC pointed to restrictions on the rights of women and girls, the contraction of Afghanistan’s rural economy following the sharp decline in poppy cultivation, reduced humanitarian funding and the large-scale return of Afghans as key pressures facing the country. The agency warned that each of these pressures can increase vulnerability to crime, exploitation and other forms of insecurity.

The warning comes as Afghanistan continues to face one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. UN figures indicate that 21.9 million people, about 45 percent of the population, require humanitarian assistance in 2026, while the humanitarian appeal remains severely underfunded. Restrictions on Afghan women working for humanitarian organizations have also hindered the delivery of assistance to women and communities in need.

Large-scale returns from neighbouring countries have added further pressure. The United Nations says nearly 5.9 million Afghans have returned since 2023, increasing the country’s population by more than 10 percent. A 2026 UN response plan projected another 2.7 million returns from Iran and Pakistan between April and December, requiring $529.2 million for emergency assistance and longer-term reintegration support.

UN agencies have warned that many returnees arrive with limited access to housing, livelihoods, documentation and basic services, placing additional pressure on already overstretched communities. UN reporting has also linked large-scale returns and weakened services to heightened protection risks, particularly for women and girls.

UNODC has separately warned that drug trafficking and illicit economies can fuel other forms of organized crime, including human trafficking, migrant smuggling, weapons trafficking, corruption and terrorism. Its Afghanistan roadmap identifies the country’s economic, humanitarian and rights-related pressures as interconnected challenges with potential consequences beyond Afghanistan’s borders.

The UNODC warning highlights the need for sustained humanitarian assistance, protection of vulnerable groups and support for communities affected by returns and economic disruption. UN agencies have repeatedly called for longer-term investment in livelihoods, housing, essential services and reintegration to prevent existing vulnerabilities from deepening further.

UNODC Warns Afghanistan’s Interlinked Crises Are Increasing Risks of Crime and Exploitation
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Afghanistan on Frontline of Global Climate Crisis

September 30, 2026
TOLOnews
TV Network
30 September 2026

A number of experts at the event also discussed Afghanistan’s water crisis, drought and displacement.

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Climate Action and Just Transition has emphasized that despite Afghanistan’s negligible contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, the country remains on the frontline of the global climate crisis.

Speaking at an event on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly titled “Afghanistan on the Frontlines of Climate Stress and Migration,” Selwin Hart said the past 11 years have been the warmest on record and that the world is approaching the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold set under the Paris Agreement.

Selwin Hart said: “The reality is that climate conditions are becoming more dangerous, and Afghanistan is on the frontline of the climate crisis. The past 11 years have been the warmest years on record. El Niño is also adding more heat to a planet that is already warm and overheated. This increases the risk of droughts, floods and extreme heat.”

A number of experts at the event also discussed Afghanistan’s water crisis, drought and displacement.

According to experts, snow accounts for up to 80 percent of Afghanistan’s water resources, but rising temperatures have reduced snowfall, pushing the country toward what they described as “water bankruptcy.”

Najibullah Sadid, an expert on water resources, the environment and climate change, said: “As I said, snow provides up to 80 percent of our water resources. This topographical advantage has now been lost or is gradually being lost because climate change is increasing temperatures. This means either Afghanistan receives less snow, or when it does snow, it melts very quickly. As a result, practically no water remains for the summer agricultural season.”

Concerns over the impact of climate change on Afghanistan come as the country is already facing challenges including water shortages and an increase in deadly natural disasters.

Afghanistan on Frontline of Global Climate Crisis
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