Afghanistan's border with Pakistan has witnessed a significant escalation in violence, resulting in the displacement of nearly 66,000 people, according to the United Nations.
The UN's International Organization for Migration warned of the growing humanitarian impact on civilians and people on the move due to the escalating cross-border hostilities. The agency stated that the ongoing military confrontation along the Durand Line has reportedly resulted in civilian casualties, damage to critical infrastructure, and displacement.
The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan launched an operation last week against the Pakistani military along the 2,640km Durand Line, which separates the two nations. The operation was in response to deadly Pakistani air strikes in late February, according to the Taliban.
Escalating Violence
Pakistani authorities said the strikes aim to stop armed fighters from using Afghan territory to attack the country. Rana Sanaullah, a political adviser to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, stated that Islamabad had achieved most targets, but operations continued.
Fighting along the Afghan-Pakistani border has ebbed and flowed for a week, with both sides claiming heavy losses and territorial gains. Afghanistan's Defence Ministry said Taliban forces shot down a Pakistani drone and captured seven border posts.
A spokesman for Afghanistan's Defence Ministry estimated Pakistani fatalities among troops at around 150, while Pakistan says more than 430 Afghan soldiers have been killed. The UN's Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has reported 42 deaths.
Humanitarian Impact
The UN's World Food Programme warned earlier this week that residents of more than 46 districts across Afghanistan already faced severe food insecurity before the intensified fighting broke out. Approximately 160,000 people have been impacted by the suspension of emergency food distributions.
In Kunar province, a 30-year-old labourer told the AFP news agency that the violence had prevented people from getting to the market. Asadullah said, Thousands of families have left the village of Sirkanay, and in some houses, only one person has stayed to guard the home, and the rest have left.
The UN's International Organization for Migration stated that these developments risk further displacement, accelerating returns, and exacerbating vulnerabilities in communities that are already overstretched and under-resourced.
Source: Al Jazeera
