At least 372 Afghan civilians lost their lives, and 397 sustained injuries in the first three months of this year due to clashes between the Pakistani military and Afghan forces, as per the United Nations. The UNAMA documented more than 750 civilian casualties in Afghanistan resulting from cross-border armed violence. A significant number of these casualties occurred during airstrikes in February and March.
Most of the civilian casualties happened following Pakistan’s launch of Operation Ghazab lil-Haq on February 26, with a majority attributed to airstrikes on March 16 by the Pakistani military, affecting the Omid Drug Rehabilitation Hospital in Kabul. The report highlighted that 72 women, 554 men, 48 girls, and 95 boys were among the civilian casualties. Initially, women and children accounted for over half of the casualties, but this changed after the Omid Hospital incident.
Airstrikes were responsible for 64% of the civilian casualties, while cross-border firing, such as mortars and artillery, accounted for 34% of the casualties. On March 16, airstrikes by the Pakistani military hit the Omid Drug Rehabilitation Hospital in Kabul, resulting in the deaths of at least 269 individuals, mostly male patients, and injuring 122 others, including a woman. The strikes occurred after evening prayers when many patients were leaving the mosque.
Following the incident, a temporary operational halt was declared by Afghanistan and Pakistan on March 18. By April 1, more than 94,000 individuals were displaced in border-adjacent regions due to the ongoing conflict, with numerous homes, schools, and businesses destroyed. The report urged Pakistan to adhere to international humanitarian law principles to safeguard civilians from harm.
