DistantNews
Support us
Pakistan Rejects UN Report on Afghan Civilian Casualties, Cites 'Baseless' Claims
🇮🇳 India /Conflict & Security

Pakistan Rejects UN Report on Afghan Civilian Casualties, Cites 'Baseless' Claims

From Times of India · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Pakistan's military has rejected a UN report detailing civilian casualties from cross-border strikes in Afghanistan, calling the findings "baseless."
  • The military claims its forces targeted only Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts and militant infrastructure in self-defense.
  • The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented 499 civilian casualties between October 2025 and June 2026, attributing them to Pakistani forces.

Pakistan's military has vehemently denied a United Nations report that documented hundreds of civilian casualties resulting from cross-border operations into Afghanistan. The military asserts that its forces exclusively targeted Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts and related militant infrastructure, framing the actions as necessary self-defense.

baseless

— Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif ChaudhryPakistan's military spokesman dismissing the UN report on civilian casualties.

Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry, Pakistan's military spokesman, dismissed the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) findings as "baseless" on Friday. He stated that Pakistani forces did not intentionally harm civilians during operations against the TTP, an organization Islamabad accuses of launching attacks from Afghan soil. Chaudhry maintained that the targeted locations were used by militants and that those killed were combatants, emphasizing the operations' role in protecting Pakistan from cross-border threats.

The UNAMA report covers the period from October 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, documenting a total of 499 civilian casualties, including 1,216 injuries, from cross-border armed violence. The latest quarter, April 1 to June 30, saw 399 civilian casualties, with 57 deaths and 342 injuries, including 40 women and 112 children. UNAMA attributed these casualties primarily to airstrikes and ground engagements by Pakistani security forces.

hideouts and infrastructure

— Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif ChaudhryDescribing the targets of Pakistani military operations in Afghanistan.

Chaudhry questioned the credibility of the UN and Amnesty International reports, suggesting they relied heavily on Afghan accounts despite alleged restrictions on free expression under Taliban rule. He accused the Taliban government of enabling militant groups to operate from its territory and criticized rights organizations for not adequately documenting attacks against Pakistan. "These are double standards," Chaudhry declared, drawing a parallel to the lack of documentation regarding civilian casualties from U.S.-led coalition airstrikes during the previous war in Afghanistan.

These are double standards.

— Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif ChaudhryPakistan's military spokesman criticizing the UN and rights groups' reporting.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Times of India in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog