Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has expressed concern over what she described as the “difficult humanitarian situation” in Afghanistan, citing high infant mortality rates and the spread of polio.

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, Zakharova said that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 21 polio cases were recorded between 2025 and 2026 in areas between Afghanistan’s and Pakistan.

She claimed that Afghan children under the age of 10 had limited access to vaccination, saying only 5–7% had been vaccinated. Zakharova also highlighted Afghanistan’s neonatal mortality rate, saying it stood at 33.1 deaths per 1,000 live births, which she described as nearly twice the global average.

She said infant deaths in Afghanistan were mainly linked to premature births and insufficient access to breast milk or nutritional substitutes.

Zakharova blamed what she called the “politicization of international humanitarian assistance” by Western countries for the humanitarian challenges in Afghanistan. She criticized US and allies sanctions against Kabul, saying they affected the most vulnerable segments of Afghan society, particularly children and newborns.

“International funding for humanitarian programs in Afghanistan is declining,” Zakharova said, adding that the freezing of Afghan banking assets had limited the government’s ability to finance crisis response measures.

She called on Western countries to return Afghanistan’s frozen assets and stop what she described as the “artificial politicization” of humanitarian aid to the country.

Zakharova added that Russia would continue providing humanitarian assistance to Afghans, including through relevant international organizations.

Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining peaceful and stable relations with Afghanistan, stressing that dialogue and regional cooperation are key to promoting long-term stability.

The remarks were made by Murtaza Solangi, spokesperson for the President of Pakistan, during the international conference, Pakistan in a Transforming Geopolitical Environment, hosted by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI).

Solangi said Islamabad remains committed to peaceful ties with Afghanistan and has consistently supported the Afghan people. He added that Pakistan does not want Afghan territory to be used as a safe haven for militant groups and emphasized the need to work together to strengthen regional peace and security.

He also welcomed mediation efforts by China, Türkiye and Qatar aimed at improving relations between Islamabad and Kabul, saying Pakistan supports dialogue as the best way to address bilateral challenges.

Highlighting the importance of regional integration, Solangi described Afghanistan as a vital link in efforts to enhance connectivity and economic cooperation across the region.

The conference featured a session titled Afghanistan, Central Asia and the Future of Regional Stability, where officials, diplomats and regional experts discussed security, trade links and opportunities for greater regional cooperation.

The event was organized by the Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East and Africa (CAMEA) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), and focused on geopolitical developments shaping South and Central Asia.

Pakistani airstrikes carried out across three eastern Afghan provinces on June 29 killed at least 28 civilians and wounded 49 others, including women and children, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

Pakistan has said the strikes targeted militants it blames for attacks on its security personnel in Karachi days earlier, but has not released details about the operation.

UNAMA said however that during the first three months of 2026, cross-border attacks by Pakistani forces killed or injured more than 750 Afghan civilians, with most casualties resulting from airstrikes in eastern and southern Afghanistan. Pakistan maintains that armed groups operating from Afghan territory have carried out attacks inside Pakistan, some of which have also caused civilian casualties.

While civilian deaths do not automatically indicate violations of international humanitarian law, rights groups say such incidents highlight the need for independent investigations into whether the attacks complied with the laws of war.

UNAMA previously reported that Pakistani airstrikes on April 27 in Asadabad and other parts of Kunar province killed seven civilians and wounded 79 others, including 13 women and 39 children. One resident told Human Rights Watch that his four-year-old daughter lost several fingers in the attack, while his 11-year-old brother was killed.

Human Rights Watch has also raised concerns over a March 16 airstrike on the Omid Drug Rehabilitation Center in Kabul, which reportedly killed at least 269 civilians and injured more than 122 others, most of them patients. The organization said its investigation found no evidence that the facility was being used for military purposes, describing the attack as unlawfully indiscriminate.

The rights group further said that Pakistani mortar and artillery fire has forced the closure of 19 health facilities, worsening humanitarian conditions in areas already affected by the return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.

International humanitarian law requires all parties involved in armed conflict to take every feasible precaution to protect civilians. It obliges attacking forces to distinguish between military targets and civilians, while defending forces are required, where possible, to keep military objectives away from populated areas. The obligations remain binding on all parties regardless of the conduct of the opposing side.