Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
February 27, 2026 Peace and security
Amid reports that major Afghan cities have been bombed by Pakistani forces in an escalation of conflict between the two countries, the United Nations has expressed concern about the plight of civilians already living in dire conditions under Taliban rule.
The UN Secretary-General said he was deeply concerned about the escalation. Antonio Guterres called for an immediate end to hostilities and repeated his call for the two countries to "settle any differences diplomatically."
Fear of the future
A call for dialogue between Kabul and Islamabad was also made by the UN Human Rights Council's independent expert on Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, who noted that growing tensions between the two countries are exacerbating the difficulties for Afghans forced to return home from neighboring countries, including Pakistan.
"I was recently in Pakistan and spoke with Afghans who are afraid of their future," he said. "They believe that returning to Afghanistan means not only a life of poverty, but also, for certain groups—human rights activists, journalists, former security forces—a real risk of violent reprisals. We've seen an increase in such cases in recent months."
In recent years, Afghanistan has faced a massive return of its citizens – an estimated 2.7 million people in 2025 alone – from neighboring countries.
Pakistan's defense minister declared Friday that his country is in a state of "open war" with Afghanistan. This follows months of sporadic border clashes, despite a ceasefire declared in October.
Humanitarian difficulties
Bennett said a sharp escalation would only worsen the suffering of Afghans already facing catastrophic humanitarian conditions since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.
Healthcare is just one of the sectors severely affected by the harsh policies of the de facto authorities, whose decrees, ostensibly aimed at “strengthening religious virtue,” are widely condemned outside the country as a form of gender apartheid.
"In many parts of the country, health care is segregated by gender: women are treated by women, and men by men," Bennett said. "Across the country, we're seeing a decline in the number of health workers—not just doctors, but midwives, nurses, and all medical personnel."
There is evidence that healthcare restrictions are not being applied equally strictly everywhere, but according to the expert, "the problem is not only with treatment, but also with access to it – there are serious restrictions on freedom of movement."
Bennett recalled that Afghanistan's healthcare system was fragile even before the Taliban came to power – after decades of war, poverty, and chronic underfunding. Now, he emphasized, there is a risk of "a full-scale health catastrophe, especially for women and girls."
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