Afghanistan–Pakistan hostilities continue but at a lower frequency and intensity than in March and primarily confined to border provinces. Between 1 and 7 April, technical-level delegations from both countries were hosted for talks in Ürümqi, China, with agreement reached to discuss ‘a comprehensive plan’ to resolve issues in their respective relations.
While periodic shelling has continued – between 19 and 21 April several mortar rounds were fired into Afghan territory damaging a school, a health facility and a telecommunications pylon in Dangam district, Kunar Province – a further uptick in hostilities was recorded over the last two days.
Mortar shelling and airstrikes in Asadabad city, Sarkani and Marawara districts of Kunar on 27 April reportedly killed at least seven people and injured 79, including 13 women and 39 children, according to officials of Asadabad hospital. Infrastructural damage also occurred, including to a fuel station in Asadabad’s Yargul area, part of a student accommodation wing at Kunar University, the Directorate of Pilgrimage and Religious Affairs and a drug rehabilitation centre. The renewed exchange of fire was reportedly in response to a shooting of a child on 26 April near Spin Boldak, Kandahar Province.
Civilian casualties continue to be reported, although the majority of damage in recent weeks has been to civilian infrastructure in the eastern region, especially health facilities and schools. Overall, 19 health facilities are closed, suspended or operating at reduced capacity, affecting access to care for approximately 78,000 people. Water networks in at least six villages have reportedly been damaged.
Education disruptions also persist, with dozens of damaged schools and insecurity affecting 13,215 students in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, while thousands of children remain in need of temporary learning spaces and learning materials.
Completed needs assessments since late February indicate that around 100,900 people have now been displaced by the hostilities across Khost (26,200), Kunar (25,424), Nangarhar (25,536), Nuristan (630), Paktia (18,200) and Paktika (4,900), although displacement has been limited and mainly temporary in nature since mid-March.
Access remains limited across several districts (Nari and Sarkani in Kunar; and Durbaba, Goshta, and Lal Pur in Nangarhar) due to security concerns related to the ongoing shelling and explosive ordnance contamination.
On 21 April, a joint multi-day operation led by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) and the World Food Programme (WFP), with support from other UN agencies, commenced the delivery of food, medical supplies and other critical assistance in Kamdesh and Bargematal districts, Nuristan Province. This followed a reopening of the main road between Nari (Kunar) and Nuristan on 13 April after locally-led initiatives from community elders affected in areas on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
In the meantime, humanitarian needs in the affected areas remain high, with around 160,000 facing heightened food insecurity and an estimated 50,000 people at risk of gender-based violence (GBV). Shelter, WASH and Non-Food Item (NFI) responses are also facing significant gaps in coverage due to funding shortfalls and competing demands from floods. Nutrition partners have scaled up screening and treatment, though service gaps persist due to facilities’ damage, supply shortages and access constraints. Health partners have also prepositioned and delivered critical supplies, including trauma kits, ambulances, medical kits and reproductive health commodities, while coordination with national authorities continues to restore services.
In light of the heightened explosive ordnance risks along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and their implications for civilian safety, humanitarian access and the restoration of essential services, the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund has launched a reserve allocation envelope of US$1.5 million over a 12-month period, primarily dedicated to mine clearance activities in the most affected areas.
Download attachment