Afghan nationals were among dozens of people injured during recent missile and drone attacks launched by Iran against the United Arab Emirates, according to the UAE Ministry of Defence.

Authorities said the attacks caused over 100 minor injuries among residents of multiple nationalities, including Emirati, Egyptian, Ethiopian, Filipino, Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Lebanese and Afghan nationals.

The ministry also confirmed three fatalities — citizens of Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh — following the strikes.

The attacks are part of a wider escalation across the Middle East after US-Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory drone and missile launches against several Gulf states, including the UAE.

UAE Ministry of Defense said that since the start of the Iranian attacks, a total of 205 ballistic missiles have been detected, of which 190 were destroyed, 13 fell into the sea, and 2 landed within the UAE. During the same period, 1,184 Iranian drones were detected, with 1,110 intercepted, while 74 drones fell within the country’s territory.

Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said during a telephone conversation with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the foreign minister of the Islamic Emirate, that differences between Kabul and Islamabad should be resolved through political and diplomatic means.

According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, the two sides also discussed the prospects for reducing military and political tensions in relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

During the call, the Russian foreign minister also discussed the regional situation, including the negative and destabilizing consequences of the recent attacks on Iran.

On the ninth day of continued airstrikes by the Pakistani military regime on parts of Afghanistan, hundreds of residents of Kabul gathered at Eidgah Mosque to condemn the attacks and the killing of civilians.

These protests were also held on Friday in several other provinces against the ongoing Pakistani airstrikes.

The protest gatherings, in response to what is perceived as a violation of Afghanistan’s national sovereignty, carried messages condemning the attacks and supporting the legitimate defense of the Islamic Emirate forces.

The organizers stated that the people of Afghanistan are united against any form of aggression and will defend the country’s territorial integrity alongside the security forces.

Protesters also called on the people of Pakistan not to remain silent about their government’s attacks on Afghanistan and to prevent further assaults by condemning them.
Participants expressed support for retaliatory actions by the Islamic Emirate forces and emphasized that they will stand alongside the country’s military if necessary.

One of the organizers of the march said, “We call on the international community and Islamic countries to stop Pakistan’s military aggression.”
Another organizer stated, “Afghans have never bowed to anyone in history and have defeated superpowers.”

Meanwhile, participants, chanting slogans such as “Death to Pakistan” and “Long live the legitimate defense of the Islamic Emirate,” urged the international community to take a stance against what they call violations of Afghanistan’s sovereignty.

A participant in Kabul emphasized, “We will not allow anyone to trespass on our land.”

This protest in Kabul sends a clear message to Pakistan: the unity of the Afghan people and their joint defense alongside the security forces of the country’s territorial integrity against the Pakistani military regime.