At least 28 civilians were killed and 49 others injured in Pakistani airstrikes on three eastern Afghan provinces late Sunday, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Monday, warning that the toll could rise as hospitals continue treating the wounded.

In a statement, UNAMA said the strikes hit Paktia, Paktika and Kunar provinces on the evening of June 28. Women and children were among those killed and injured, according to the UN mission.

The deadliest attack took place at around 11:30 p.m. in Chamkani district of Paktia province, where at least 22 civilians were killed and 47 others wounded.

Around the same time, a separate airstrike in Gyan district of neighboring Paktika province killed six civilians. A third strike in Marawara district of Kunar province injured two children.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirmed that Pakistani security forces had carried out airstrikes in the three Afghan provinces.

UNAMA said it is continuing to verify the incidents and emphasized that the casualty figures remain preliminary.

“The figures are preliminary and may increase as hospitals continue to treat the injured,” the mission said.

The UN mission renewed its call for all parties to comply with international humanitarian law, stressing the principles of precaution, distinction and proportionality to protect civilians during military operations.

UNAMA also expressed its condolences to the families of those killed and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

Meanwhile, the casualty figures released by the Islamic Emirate are higher. According to the Islamic Emirate, 36 civilians were killed and 163 others injured in the Pakistani military’s recent airstrikes on eastern Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan has summoned the Chargé d’Affaires of the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul in response to overnight airstrikes in the provinces of Kunar, Paktia, and Paktika.

According to the Ministry, Afghanistan strongly protested against the violation of its airspace and the bombing of civilian residential areas, delivering a firm and formal objection to the Pakistani diplomat.

The Ministry described the recent attacks as a clear violation of international principles, humanitarian law, and Afghanistan’s national sovereignty, condemning them in the strongest possible terms.

The statement further noted that Pakistan has, over the past few years, attempted to deflect its internal security and political failures by making baseless accusations against Afghanistan.

It added that such actions not only fail to address existing challenges but also seriously damage bilateral trust, good neighborly relations, and regional stability.

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and former Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah have strongly condemned the reported Pakistani airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, joining growing calls for dialogue amid rising tensions between the two neighbouring countries.

Their statements came after Pakistan carried out overnight airstrikes on residential areas in the eastern provinces of Paktia, Paktika and Kunar. 

Afghan officials say at least 36 civilians, including women and children, were killed and 163 others wounded. 

According to Afghan authorities, the deadliest strike occurred in Mandokhail village in Paktia’s Chamkani district, where an initial airstrike reportedly hit a civilian home before a second strike allegedly targeted villagers who had gathered to rescue the wounded. 

Additional strikes were reported in Paktika’s Giyan district and Kunar’s Manogai district.

Karzai described the reported attacks as a violation of Afghanistan’s national sovereignty and contrary to international law and accepted international norms.

He extended his condolences to the families of those killed, wished a speedy recovery to the injured, and urged Pakistan to abandon what he described as confrontational policies and double standards toward extremism. 

Karzai said it was in Pakistan’s own interest to pursue relations with Afghanistan based on good neighbourliness, mutual respect and constructive engagement.

Abdullah Abdullah also condemned the strikes, saying they had caused heavy civilian casualties and describing them as a hostile act that would only deepen tensions between the two countries.

He argued that military force has repeatedly failed to resolve disputes and called on both sides to embrace dialogue, diplomacy and the principles of good neighbourly relations to address their differences peacefully.

The condemnation follows similar criticism from former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, who said Pakistan had once again resorted to military action despite repeated calls from the international community and many Pakistanis to resolve disputes through dialogue.

Khalilzad said he has consistently condemned the killing of Afghan civilians and questioned whether Islamabad is genuinely seeking a negotiated solution. He also argued that Pakistan had failed to respond to several proposals put forward by the Islamic Emirate to address bilateral security concerns.

The former US envoy further questioned whether Pakistan’s security establishment may be pursuing broader strategic objectives, including keeping Afghanistan unstable, warning that continued conflict could strengthen extremist groups such as ISIS-K and increase China’s influence in Afghanistan.

Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have remained tense in recent years, with both governments accusing each other of failing to address cross-frontier militant activity. 

Pakistan has previously said its military operations target armed groups responsible for attacks inside its territory, while Afghan authorities have repeatedly condemned cross-frontier strikes as violations of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and say civilians continue to bear the brunt of the violence.