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Taliban suffer heavy casualties in Herat, Kandahar provinces
At least 40 Taliban militants were killed and 30 others wounded after a gathering of the group came under an airstrike in Adraskan district of Herat province, sources said.
Herat’s provincial official said that preliminary information indicates that Taliban key commanders including Abdullah Akbari, Mawlawi Haidar, Mullah Rahmatullah, Zabihullah Akbari, Mullah Mohammad known as Idris and Mullah Abdul Haq known as Osama were among the deaths.
So far, it was not cleared whether the Afghan or foreign forces have carried out the air raid.
Meanwhile, local officials in Kandahar said that at least 36 Taliban insurgents were killed in an airstrike by the US forces in Khakriz district of the province.
Meanwhile, sources in Baghlan also said that a woman and a child were killed and eight others were injured in an airstrike by Afghan forces in Dand Ghori.
This comes as the Paktia Police chief said that in the last 15 days, 65 Taliban fighters have been killed and 25 others have been wounded.
This comes as clashes between Taliban and Afghan forces inched Kabul city.
Last night in Surobi district of Kabul province, a group of Taliban attacked Afghan military checkpoints from three points on the Kabul-Jalalabad highway in the Mahipar area of Kabul’s Surobi district. According to sources, the Red Crescent Taliban, who came from Kuh-e-Safi district, first closed the road and then launched their attacks, which lasted 13 hours.
In this clash, three Taliban fighters were killed and four others were wounded.
The Taliban militant group yet comment about the incidents.
At least two civilians have been killed and eight others wounded following fresh shelling by Pakistan across the disputed Durand Line in Afghanistan’s Kunar province, local authorities said Wednesday.
Officials reported that over the past 24 hours, Pakistani forces fired approximately 85 rockets targeting residential areas across several districts, causing damage to civilian homes and heightening fears among local communities.
According to Zia-ur-Rahman Spin Ghar, head of information at the provincial Directorate of Information and Culture, the heaviest casualties were recorded in Nari district, where one civilian was killed and six others injured. In Sarkano district, another civilian lost their life, while two more people were wounded.
Additional rockets struck areas including Shultan, Marawara, and the outskirts of Asadabad. While no casualties were reported in those strikes, residents described widespread panic and property damage.
Escalating tensions
The latest incident comes amid a broader escalation in cross-Durand Line violence between Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent weeks. Residents in frontier provinces have repeatedly reported shelling, displacement, and disruption to daily life.
Spin Ghar also confirmed that Afghan forces responded with retaliatory strikes, claiming to have destroyed three Pakistani military outposts and killed one Pakistani soldier. There has been no immediate confirmation from Pakistani authorities.
Growing humanitarian concerns
The ongoing hostilities have raised concerns about civilian safety in these areas where communities often find themselves caught in the crossfire. Aid groups warn that continued shelling could lead to further displacement and strain already limited local resources.
With no clear signs of de-escalation, observers say urgent dialogue is needed to prevent further civilian casualties and stabilize the volatile region.
At the 95th Standing Committee of UNHCR, the European Union and its Member States called for urgent de-escalation of tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, stressing the need for dialogue and respect for international law.
In a statement, the EU urged all sides to avoid further escalation, ensure the protection of civilians, and uphold territorial integrity. It also reiterated that Afghan soil should not be used to threaten or attack other countries, calling on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to take effective action against militant groups operating within or from the country.
The bloc further expressed concern over the broader humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, highlighting restrictions that continue to affect the work of international organizations and humanitarian partners.
A key issue raised was the return of more than four million Afghans from Iran and Pakistan over the past two years, which the EU said has placed additional strain on Afghanistan’s already fragile economy and public services. It voiced particular concern over forced deportations and emphasized the importance of respecting the right to seek asylum and the principle of non-refoulement.
A group of religious scholars from Afghanistan and Pakistan have called on authorities in both countries to extend the pause in hostilities, initially announced for Eid ul-Fitr, until Eid ul-Adha.
The appeal comes after Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan’s Information Minister, announced a temporary ceasefire from March 18–19 midnight until March 23–24 midnight.
In a joint statement signed by 11 Pakistani clerics and as many Afghan clerics, the scholars emphasized that their initiative aims to promote a sustainable and dignified resolution to tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, Dawn newspaper reported.
The clerics urged both Pakistani authorities and the Afghan side to extend the ceasefire to allow pilgrims to perform Hajj in a peaceful environment. They added that this “peace movement” goes beyond the ceasefire appeal and includes broader diplomatic and social efforts to resolve longstanding issues between the two countries.
The scholars expressed hope that their efforts would lead to a mutually acceptable solution and help lay the foundation for lasting stability and regional harmony.
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