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…
Latest International humanitarian law News & Updates
United Nations, March 24 (IANS) More than 2,100 children have been killed or injured since the military escalation in the Middle East, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban said.”Twenty-three days into the escalating conflict in the Middle East, children across the region are paying a devastating price. A further descent into a wider or protracted conflict would be catastrophic for millions more,” Chaiban told reporters on Monday at the UN headquarters in New York.The…
Oslo, March 21 (IANS) The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) warned that over 115,000 people have been displaced in Afghanistan, with civilians facing worsening humanitarian conditions following the conflict between the Taliban and Pakistan.”Families who were already on the brink of survival have been forced from their homes. Thousands have found refuge in makeshift camps and with local families. Others are being forced to rent substandard accommodation they can little afford. They have lost ac…
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…
United Nations, March 18 (IANS) UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres “strongly condemns” the deadly Pakistani air strike on a hospital in Kabul and has called for an independent investigation into the incident, his Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Wednesday. Afghanistan’s Taliban government has said that more than 400 people were killed in the Pakistani attack on a drug rehabilitation hospital overnight Monday-Tuesday, marking a sharp escalation in Islamabad’s onslaught on its n…
Geneva, March 17 (IANS) As the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan continues to escalate, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Tuesday reiterated his call to end hostilities and take effective measures to ensure the protection of civilians, in line with obligations under international human rights law. Calling for an investigation into the “blast” at Kabul’s drug rehabilitation centre which has reportedly claimed lives of hundreds of patients, the UN High Commissioner urged…
Manama, March 9 (IANS) The Indian Embassy in Bahrain on Monday advised Indian nationals in the country to remain vigilant and take due care amid the prevailing regional situation. The Embassy asked Indian nationals to follow updates and advisories issued by it and the local authorities. It also released once again the helpline numbers for assistance and asked people to transit through Saudi Arabia from Bahrain.In the advisory released on X, the Indian Embassy in Bahrain stated, “Transit Through …
Riyadh, March 9 (IANS) Riyadh on Monday condemned the Iranian attacks against Saudi Arabia and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members – including a number of Arab, Islamic, and friendly countries – affirming its right to take all measures to protect its security, sovereignty and safety of people. Saudi Foreign Ministry stated that continued Iranian attacks showcase further escalation, with significant impact for bilateral ties. The targetting of civilian objects, airports, and oil facilities, st…
United Nations, March 6 (IANS) An alarming intensification of fighting in Sudan’s Kordofan region has killed and injured civilians, destroyed homes, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure, UN humanitarians said.The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the escalation of violence also impeded relief workers’ ability to reach civilians in need of aid.The office said that in South Kordofan, confrontations between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forc…
Kabul, March 4 (IANS) Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, on Wednesday echoed concerns raised by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) over the intensifying clashes along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border that have resulted in heavy civilian casualties and displacement. He called on both parties to exercise maximum restraint and adhere to International Human Rights Law (IHRL) and International Humanitarian Law (IHL), …