Pakistan Military Rejects UN Report on Afghan Civilian Casualties

Pakistan’s army spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry, dismissed a recent United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) report that documented 499 Afghan civilians killed and 1,216 wounded in cross-border strikes by Pakistani forces between October and June. Chaudhry asserted that the operations targeted only Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts and infrastructure and that all those killed were militants acting in self-defence.

Pakistan rejects UN findings on civilian deaths in cross-border strikes Associated Press

Tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban-run Afghan government have risen since February, when Afghan forces retaliated against Pakistani airstrikes. Pakistan repeatedly accuses Afghanistan of sheltering TTP fighters, while the Afghan Taliban denies providing sanctuary. The UN report highlighted the eastern provinces of Paktika, Paktia and Kunar as sites of the highest civilian toll. Amnesty International has called the March strike on a Kabul drug-treatment centre a possible war crime.

Associated PressPakistan rejects UN findings on civilian deaths in cross-border strikes

He also accused the Taliban government of double standards, noting the lack of documentation of civilian casualties from U.S.–led coalition airstrikes. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rebuffed the claims, labeling Pakistan’s remarks as “propaganda” and asserting that the Taliban does not attach importance to such statements. Former Pakistani special envoy for Afghanistan Asif Durrani added that the Taliban’s relationship with the TTP appears to take precedence over addressing Pakistan’s security concerns.

Pakistan rejects UN findings on civilian deaths in cross-border strikes Associated Press

Human-rights groups, including Amnesty International, have urged investigations into the Kabul bombing as a potential war crime. The UN’s casualty figures contrast sharply with Chaudhry’s claim that all deaths were militants, highlighting a dispute over the civilian impact of the cross-border operations.

Associated Press

• “The primary activity of the Afghan Taliban is terrorism,” — Gen. Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry

Pakistan rejects UN findings on civilian deaths in cross-border strikes