UNICEF Warns Children Paying “Heavy Toll” as Afghanistan–Pakistan Hostilities Escalate.
KATHMANDU/NEW YORK
UNICEF has raised alarm over the impact of renewed cross-border hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan, warning that children are among the most affected by the escalating violence.
In a statement issued Monday, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia Sanjay Wijesekera said the agency is deeply concerned by reports that children have been killed and injured in the recent fighting. Verification efforts are ongoing in coordination with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and other UN partners.
“While we are working to verify these reports, it is already clear that children are bearing a heavy toll,” the statement said.
Displacement Compounds Suffering in Afghanistan
The renewed violence comes as families in eastern Afghanistan are still recovering from last year’s devastating earthquake. Following intense clashes near the border, families living in displacement camps have reportedly been asked to evacuate for safety reasons.
The camps were originally established to support approximately 17,000 earthquake survivors—about half of them children—providing shelter, food, healthcare, clean water, sanitation, child-friendly spaces, and emergency education.
For many families, the latest upheaval represents yet another traumatic disruption.
“Once again, children are being uprooted from what little stability they had regained,” Wijesekera said, warning that renewed displacement exposes children to heightened risks of disease, malnutrition, violence, exploitation, and psychological distress.
Schools Closed, Immunization Disrupted in Pakistan
Across the border in Pakistan, escalating tensions have also affected children and families, particularly in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Authorities have reportedly closed 138 government schools as a precautionary measure amid recent attacks, including a reported drone strike in Ghalanai. The closures have disrupted access to education for thousands of children.
UNICEF also warned that routine immunization services are being impacted, raising concerns about potential outbreaks of preventable diseases. Increased insecurity and displacement have heightened protection risks, including injury, loss of life, and exposure to unexploded ordnance in affected communities.
Call for Restraint and Protection of Civilians
UNICEF called on all parties involved to exercise maximum restraint, prioritize the protection of civilians, and uphold their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.
“Children must be protected at all times,” the statement emphasized.
The agency reiterated that children should never be targets of violence and that essential services—including education, healthcare, and protection systems—must remain safeguarded even amid escalating hostilities.
As tensions persist along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border, humanitarian agencies continue to assess needs and monitor the situation, warning that further escalation could deepen the crisis for already vulnerable communities.
