The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has urged an immediate end to fighting between Afghan security forces and Pakistani security forces, warning that ongoing clashes are exacerbating Afghanistan’s already dire humanitarian situation.

In a statement issued Tuesday, UNAMA called on all parties to uphold their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, and to prioritize the protection of civilians. The mission continues to document incidents of civilian casualties while humanitarian agencies report escalating disruption to aid delivery and growing displacement.

Civilian Casualties and Displacement

From the evening of 26 February to 2 March 2026, UNAMA recorded at least 146 civilian casualties across Afghanistan, including 42 deaths and 104 injuries, among them women and children.

These preliminary figures include casualties caused by indirect fire from clashes across the disputed Durand Line frontier, affecting residential areas in Paktya, Paktika, Nangarhar, Kunar and Khost, as well as airstrikes in Paktika and Nangarhar provinces.

According to preliminary data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), approximately 16,400 households have been displaced across the five affected provinces.

Hundreds of families still displaced after the August 2025 Kunar earthquake — Afghanistan’s deadliest in nearly 30 years — have been advised to leave the area or relocate to relatives’ homes as a precaution.

Restrictions on movement due to active conflict have limited humanitarian agencies’ ability to deliver essential assistance, leaving Afghan returnees from Pakistan particularly vulnerable.

Impact on Humanitarian Operations

Several humanitarian and medical facilities, including the emergency hospital at the Torkham crossing and an IOM transit center, have sustained damage. The World Food Programme (WFP) has suspended operations in the affected areas, impacting approximately 160,000 people who rely on food distributions. Several provinces are experiencing critical levels of acute malnutrition.

UNAMA also noted that Afghanistan’s western border with Iran could see a rise in returning Afghan populations, further straining already limited humanitarian resources.

The mission emphasized that immediate cessation of hostilities and unhindered access for humanitarian actors are essential to prevent further civilian suffering.

The Ministry of Defense of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) reported 25 clashes with Pakistani forces over the past 24 hours, resulting in heavy casualties and widespread damage on both sides.

Enayatullah Khowarzmi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, told a press conference Tuesday that four Pakistani soldiers were killed and 13 military posts destroyed during the latest confrontations.

Since the start of operations against Pakistan, Khowarzmi claimed, Afghan forces have inflicted 150 Pakistani fatalities, wounded over 200 soldiers, and seized 40 military posts.

“War has never been our first option, but anyone who sets eyes on Afghan soil with ill intent has been met with a firm response,” Khowarzmi said. He added that Afghanistan would not allow its territory to be used for aggression against other nations.

The toll on Afghan forces, he said, includes 28 soldiers killed and 42 wounded, while three Pakistani drones have been shot down during the same period.

Deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat reported that the clashes have also caused severe civilian casualties, with 110 killed and 130 injured, mostly women and children.

Fitrat warned that the IEA does not seek war but is prepared to take further action if Pakistani incursions continue.

He added that the Pakistani embassy in Kabul is currently under IEA control and could be closed if hostilities persist.

Fitrat also described extensive material damage from the attacks, including 37 homes fully destroyed, 216 partially damaged houses, 12 shops, 19 mosques, a clinic, and a school. The clashes have displaced more than 8,000 civilians.