Afghanistan Pakistan Cross Border Conflict: An Assessment April 06

MAP SOURCE : OCHA AFGHANISTAN

Despite multiple mediation multilateral, bilateral at the diplomatic and political level, Afghanistan Pakistan cross border conflict continues with occasional spurge and a breakthrough appears unlikely given entrenched positions by both sides.

A Report by OCHA Afghanistan in collaboration with humanitarian partners titled, “Situation Update #3 Humanitarian Impact of Afghanistan-Pakistan Military Escalation” outlines mainly the humanitarian distress impacting districts of Afghanistan due to air strikes and border clashes with Pakistan.

A review of the same also provides an indication of the main areas in Afghanistan impacted by the conflict based on the number of families who are in distressed and persons who have been displaced and with other reports an assessment of the Afghan Pakistan clashes. The Report covers the period from 17 March to 1 April 2026.

The Report indicates that cross-border shelling, airstrikes and armed clashes have resulted in several hundred civilian casualties (killed and wounded) including children and one humanitarian worker. Despite a temporary ceasefire over Eid (19 to 24 March), shelling, airstrikes and unexploded ordnance (UXO) incidents continued during and after the holidays, particularly across eastern and southeastern provinces.

Based on the displacements Khost, Kunar, Nangarhar, Paktia and Paktika provines have been impacted by the cross border firing. Nuristan has been another province where the assessment is pending.

The major facilities struck in air strikes include Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul; market in Paktika and a major fuel depot in Kandahar as well as religious structures also being hit in Kunar and Nuristan.

Additionally, at least 345 homes have been destroyed or severely damaged.

In Nuristan movement between Bargematal and Kamdesh districts has not been possible since the end of February amid sustained cross-border hostilities and severe access constraints.

Vehicles attempting to transit the road are at risk of cross-border firing, rendering the corridor unusable for both civilian and humanitarian purposes.

Bargematal and Kamdesh (Nuristan), Durbaba and Lalpur (Nangarhar), and parts of Nari (Kunar) remain inaccessible due to active conflict and mortar‑shelling risks.

Pakistan Information Minister’s Statement

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar giving an update on the operation in a post on X claimed that as of 5 PM 5pm on April 5, 796 terrorists and Afghan Taliban operatives had been killed while over 1,043 had been injured. The X Post also claimed that 286 posts had been destroyed 44 posts had been captured.

249 tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery guns and drones had also been destroyed. 81 terrorists and terrorist support infrastructure locations across Afghanistan were effectively targeted by air. Operation Ghazab lil-Haq was launched on the night of Feb 26 following cross-border firing by the Afghan Taliban.

There is no mention of any civilian casualties or infrastructure being attacked.

Review

A review of these reports indicate that the ground fighting is mainly restricted to the border districts of provinces in Eastern Afghanistan in the Zadran belt and adjoining Kunar, Nuristan and Nangarhar.

Airstrikes have been conducted indiscriminately including in Kabul, Kandahar and one even in the Northern Balkh. These appear to be punitive in nature apart from destruction of key military infrastructure but have resulted in heavy civilian casualties on the Afghan side.

Multiple attempts at mediation the most recent one ongoing in Urumqi in China have been ongoing without much success as fighting continues and the Afghan Taliban has claimed capture of a Pakistan post opposite Kunar on April 05.

As of now a substantial breakthrough is not evident and sporadic clashes and air strikes are expected to continue given the entrenched positions by both sides.

While Pakistan seeks the Afghan Taliban to neutralize the TTP, Kabul has framed the issue as an internal one for Islamabad without an external dimension.