28 Afghan Civilians Killed in Pakistan Air Strikes – UN Reports

Sun Sep 06 2026 12:19:15 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

UN says Pakistan’s strikes on Afghan border provinces killed 28 civilians, including children, sparking fresh border tensions.

The United Nations Afghan mission confirmed that at least 28 civilians, many women and children, were killed in Pakistani air strikes on Afghanistan’s Paktia, Paktika and Kunar provinces. The Taliban government called the attack a “cowardly act” and “atrocity,” while Pakistan defended the operation as targeting militant hideouts. This comes after a failed ceasefire agreement last October, with sporadic clashes and air strikes affecting both sides for months. The violence follows a recent incident in Karachi that killed three Pakistani security officers. The conflict risks escalating further, deepening mistrust between the two neighbouring states.

UN officials say Pakistani air strikes on the Afghan border provinces killed at least 28 civilians, with women and children among the victims. The attacks focused on the village of Mandokhail in Paktia province, where villagers were sleeping when the bombings hit.

The Taliban government called the strikes a "cowardly act" and an "atrocity," while Pakistan said it was targeting militant hideouts that cross the border. The two sides had tried a ceasefire in October that has now collapsed amid ongoing clashes.

This violence follows earlier incidents: a June air strike that killed 26 militants and claimed 13 civilian lives, and a Karachi raid that killed three Pakistani Rangers and an Afghan militant. Both the Taliban and the Pakistan Taliban are banned by UK and UN for past attacks.

If the conflict escalates, it could destabilise the border region and affect global security. The UN and local governments continue to monitor the breaking‑news dynamics, urging a pause in hostilities to protect civilians.