The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) says dozens of civilians were killed or injured following attacks in parts of Asadabad, the capital of Kunar province, on Monday afternoon.

In a statement issued to journalists on Tuesday, UNAMA said it had documented significant civilian casualties, including victims of an attack that also affected a university facility in eastern Afghanistan.

The mission emphasized that under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure — including schools, universities and other educational institutions — must be protected at all times.

UNAMA called on all parties to take immediate measures to prevent harm to non-combatants and to respect their obligations under international law.

The United Nations mission also expressed condolences to the families of those killed and wished a full and speedy recovery to those injured.

The latest incident has raised renewed concerns over the safety of civilians in border regions, where violence along the disputed Durand Line has periodically threatened communities and public institutions.

The head of Kunar Provincial Hospital said that seven people were killed and 78 others were wounded in this incident.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Bruno Georges Lemarquis as his new Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

Lemarquis will also serve as the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan, taking over from Indrika Ratwatte of Sri Lanka. The Secretary-General thanked Ratwatte for his dedicated service.

The appointment places Lemarquis in one of the United Nations’ most important regional roles, overseeing humanitarian coordination, development efforts and political engagement in Afghanistan.

Lemarquis brings extensive international experience in crisis management, peacebuilding and humanitarian operations. Since 2022, he has served as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), where he also held the roles of Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator.

He previously served in similar senior positions in Haiti with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) between 2020 and 2021.

Earlier in his career, Lemarquis worked with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in several leadership roles focused on crisis response, recovery and conflict prevention. His field assignments included work in Somalia, Haiti, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Cambodia.

Before joining the United Nations in 1992, he worked with an international non-governmental organization in Haiti and Ethiopia.

Lemarquis holds an engineering degree in tropical agriculture from the Centre National d’Etudes des Régions Chaudes in Montpellier. In addition to his native French, he is fluent in English.

Senior officials from Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) have held talks in Moscow with Russian energy authorities aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation in electricity generation, infrastructure and broader energy development.

According to DABS, the power utility company’s Chief Executive Officer Abdul Haq Hamkar, accompanied by Afghanistan’s ambassador to Russia Gul Hassan Hassan, met with Russian Deputy Energy Minister Vladimir Khazov to discuss joint initiatives and future investment opportunities.

During the meeting, Hamkar emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral ties in the energy sector, describing electricity development and improved supply capacity as major priorities for Afghanistan.

Russian officials welcomed the Afghan delegation and reaffirmed Moscow’s commitment to deeper cooperation with Kabul, noting that energy and economic engagement with Afghanistan remains an important part of Russia’s regional strategy.

Khazov said efforts are continuing to expand collaboration in electricity transmission, power generation and other key energy projects.

The Afghan delegation also stressed the need to widen cooperation beyond trade to include technical assistance, infrastructure development, engineering support and long-term energy planning, while expressing appreciation for Russia’s continued engagement.

Officials travelling with the delegation included Planning Director Naser Ahmadi, Investment Coordination Director Faridullah Sharafmal and Operating Deputy Director Emal Shinwari.

The talks are seen as part of Afghanistan’s broader push to strengthen domestic energy capacity, modernize infrastructure and attract international investment to help meet rising electricity demand.