KABUL, Afghanistan — The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday said it is concerned about reports that at least 20 children were killed in Pakistan’s airstrikes in Paktika province.
Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF’s director for Afghanistan, conveyed condolences to the victims’ families and emphasized the need to protect children in conflict zones.
“Our sincere condolences to those who have lost loved ones,” Mr. Wijesekera said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Children are not and must never be a target.”
The airstrike, conducted on December 24 in the Barmal district of Paktika, reportedly targeted a refugee camp housing Waziristani migrants, according to the Taliban. Taliban officials stated that 46 people, including many women and children, were killed.
In response, the Taliban summoned Pakistan’s top envoy in Kabul, Obaid Rahman Nezamani, to formally protest the attack.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office confirmed on Thursday that its military had conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan’s eastern province earlier this week. Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch described the operation as intelligence-based and aimed at neutralizing “threats to Pakistani citizens’ security.”
This marks the first official acknowledgment of the strikes. Pakistani security officials previously indicated that the operation targeted suspected militants.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has also weighed in, reporting credible evidence that dozens of civilians, including women and children, were killed in the airstrike.
In a statement, UNAMA called for a thorough investigation to ensure accountability, prevent future incidents, and uphold the rights of victims.
