At least 310 civilians were killed and 974 injured in Afghanistan over the past year, according to a new report by Afghanistan Human Rights Center, which warned of a sharp deterioration in human rights conditions across the country.
The center, led by Sima Samar, the former head of the independent human rights commission in Afghanistan, said in its annual report, released Thursday, that a total of 1,284 civilians were killed or wounded during the 1404 solar year (March 2025 to March 2026), with more than 90 percent of the casualties attributed to border clashes between the Taliban and Pakistani forces, including airstrikes inside Afghanistan.
Women and children accounted for the majority of victims, the report said, underscoring the disproportionate impact of the violence on vulnerable populations.
The findings come amid broader concerns about what the group described as systematic violations of fundamental rights, particularly affecting women, children and ethnic and religious minorities.
Restrictions on women and civil liberties
The report said women and girls continue to be denied basic rights, including access to education, employment and public life. It described ongoing discrimination as widespread and institutionalized.
It also documented continued arrests and alleged mistreatment of civil society activists, former government employees, journalists and women’s rights advocates.
According to the report, Taliban intelligence units — particularly one identified as Directorate 40 — were cited as key locations where detainees have been subjected to abuse and torture. Some detainees, the report said, have died in custody.
The report also included accounts of sexual harassment and abuse of female activists, though it did not provide detailed case numbers.
Press freedom under pressure
Freedom of expression has sharply declined, the group said, with journalists facing growing restrictions, threats and detention.
At least 17 journalists were arrested in 2025 alone, according to the report. Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, at least 165 journalists and media workers have been detained.
The report added that many journalists have fled the country, with around 200 now living in Pakistan with their families.
Justice system and punishments
The report also points to what it describes as a regression in Afghanistan’s judicial system.
It cites a newly introduced penal code by the Taliban, saying it undermines civil rights and reintroduces punishments the group characterizes as inhumane or discriminatory.
During the past year, hundreds of sentences involving flogging and other corporal punishments were issued, the report said, and at least five people were executed on murder charges. Some punishments were carried out in public and included both men and women.
Humanitarian and social crisis
Beyond security and legal concerns, the report highlights a deepening humanitarian crisis.
More than half of Afghanistan’s population requires humanitarian assistance, including an estimated 12.9 million children, according to the findings.
The education system has deteriorated significantly, the report said, citing restrictions on girls’ schooling, a shortage of female teachers and limited access to learning materials. Natural disasters and economic pressures have further disrupted schooling, raising concerns about the long-term impact on an entire generation.
Health care access has also declined, with nearly three million people lacking adequate medical services.
The Afghanistan Human Rights Center called on the international community and aid organizations to pay closer attention to the worsening situation and to take concrete steps to address ongoing abuses.
The report warns that without sustained international engagement and accountability, conditions are likely to continue to deteriorate.
