At Least 28 Civilians Killed in Pakistan Border Operation

The United Nations (UN) has announced that at least 28 civilians were killed and 49 injured in an operation conducted by Pakistan on the Afghanistan border. The statement noted that these numbers are preliminary and may increase, as the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) continues its verification efforts. The UNAMA called for adherence to international humanitarian law principles to protect civilians.Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had announced that an intelligence-based ground operation was conducted in areas along the Afghan border following recent terrorist acts in the country's Hayber Pahtunhva, Belucistan, and Sind provinces. Tarar stated that precision strikes were carried out in the border regions, neutralizing 29 militants and wounding several others.The Deputy Spokesperson for the Afghan administration, Hamdullah Fıtrat, claimed that 36 civilians were killed and 163 injured in the attacks. Armed attacks in Pakistan are concentrated in the Hayber Pahtunhva and Belucistan provinces, which share a border with Afghanistan.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the parties to immediately cease hostilities and resolve their issues through diplomacy. Guterres emphasized the need to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.