Washington, May 1 (IANS) A heated Senate hearing saw sharp clashes between US SEcretary of War Pete Hegseth and lawmakers, as divisions deepened over the Iran war, rising costs and a proposed $1.5 trillion defence budget.At the Senate Armed Services Committee, Democratic and some independent senators challenged the administration’s claims of success in Iran and questioned the scale of military spending.Ranking Member Jack Reed led the criticism, accusing the administration of entering an “un…
Latest civilian casualties News & Updates
Kabul, April 28 (IANS) Richard Bennett, the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, on Tuesday called for “prompt, independent and thorough investigations” as fresh reports cited that at least seven people have been killed and 75 injured in Pakistani strikes targetting Afghanistan’s Kunar province. “I echo UNAMA’s concern and condolences. Civilians must always be protected and perpetrators held accountable. Therefore, there is a need for prompt, indepe…
Kabul, April 28 (IANS) Afghanistan’s Ministry of Higher Education strongly condemned the missile attack by the Pakistani military forces on Sayed Jamaluddin Afghan University in Kunar province, stating that the strike injured nearly 30 students and professors, while causing extensive damage to the university’s infrastructure.In a statement issued on Monday following the attack, the Ministry denounced the act as “cowardly, ruthless, and contrary to all Islamic and international principles”….
Islamabad, April 14 (IANS) Pakistani forces, while conducting counter-terrorism campaigns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, have many times been accused of using lethal force in ways that have repeatedly killed several innocent civilians, including women and children, a report has revealed. “International human-rights organizations and independent reporting point to airstrikes, drone attacks and ground operations that blur the line between lawful targetting of armed groups and unlawful, or at leas…
Kabul, March 25 (IANS) Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, on Wednesday stated that UN experts have called for prompt, independent and transparent investigations into the Pakistani airstrikes on the Kabul rehabilitation centre.On March 16, Pakistan launched airstrikes on Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul that killed hundreds of civilians and injured several others. Bennett added that the call also seeks a permanent ceasefire betwee…
Kabul/Islamabad, March 20 (IANS) A leading international human rights organisation raised serious concerns under international humanitarian law over the recent Pakistani airstrike on a rehabilitation centre in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, that killed over 400 civilians and injured more than 200 others.Responding to claims by Pakistani officials that the March 16 airstrike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul had targeted an ammunition depot, Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty International’s Depu…
Washington, March 10 (IANS) A group of senior Democratic lawmakers has called for a full investigation into an apparent strike on an Iranian girls’ school that reportedly killed at least 175 people, most of them children.In a joint statement, US Senators Mark R. Warner, Brian Schatz, Patty Murray, Jeanne Shaheen, Jack Reed, and Chris Coons said they were “horrified by the latest reports concerning the February 28th strike on an Iranian elementary school near the town of Minab.”The lawmaker…
Seoul, March 6 (IANS) South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has spoken by phone with his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to discuss the Middle East conflict and coordinate efforts to bring home South Korean nationals stranded in the UAE, the foreign ministry said on Friday.During the phone talks Thursday with Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE’s foreign minister, Cho explained that some 3,000 short-term Korean travelers are seeking to return home from the UAE amid flight disrupti…
Kabul, Feb 27 (IANS) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that escalating clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan risk regional instability and urged two nations to hold dialogue and protect civilians, local media reported on Friday. Guterres voiced concern over rising clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan and urged both sides to avoid further military confrontation. He urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve disputes through talks and diplomacy and uphold international obligat…
New Delhi/Kabul, Feb 26 (IANS) Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have entered a dangerous new phase, marked by deadly airstrikes, mounting civilian casualties, and a steadily deepening diplomatic rift. Recent Pakistani air operations in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces — particularly Nangarhar and Paktika — have triggered outrage after reports confirmed that civilians, including women and children, were among the victims. Human rights organizations and UN bodies have raised alarm, rei…