The UN rights rapporteur calls for accountability after Pakistani airstrikes struck the Kunar and Helmand provinces of Afghanistan overnight, killing civilians, most of them children. Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, made the call in a post on X on Thursday, October 1. He described accountability as paramount after another air strike that had killed civilians, most of them children. dawatmedia24ariananews
What Happened in Kunar and Helmand
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistani aircraft bombed residential areas in Kunar and Helmand early on October 1, killing nine civilians, including women and children, and wounding 11 others. He said the strikes hit the Shultan and Chugam districts of Kunar and the Garmser district of Helmand. The Helmand governor’s office separately reported that four civilians were killed and six others injured in the Safar area of Garmser. Pakistan Air Strikes Hit Kunar, Helmand; Taliban Says Nine Civilians Killed +2
The United Nations gave a somewhat higher toll. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed that at least 10 civilians were killed, most of them children, and nine people were injured. UNAMA reiterated its call for de-escalation, dialogue, respect for international law and prevention of further civilian harm. CBS NewsAl Jazeera
Islamabad’s Position
Pakistan has not disputed that it carried out the strikes, but it describes the targets differently. Its ministry said the strikes were targeted and planned as part of a military operation called Ghazab-Lil-Haq and were based on precise intelligence. Pakistan says the airstrikes killed 22 terrorists. Islamabad accuses Kabul of harbouring armed groups, including the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), and of enabling cross-border attacks. The Afghan government denies this. Pakistani officials had not commented on the reports of civilian casualties at the time of reporting. Pakistan Air Strikes Hit Kunar, Helmand; Taliban Says Nine Civilians Killed +3
Why Accountability Matters for Human Rights in Afghanistan
The strikes are the latest in a series of incidents that have drawn the attention of UN officials. The attacks came little more than a week after airstrikes killed at least three people and injured four more in Kandahar and Kunar. Earlier this year, Bennett urged an independent investigation into a Pakistani strike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, saying deliberate attacks on civilians and non-military facilities could amount to war crimes. upizarintv
For human rights in Afghanistan, the repeated pattern raises questions about how international humanitarian law is applied when military operations take place near homes and civilian infrastructure. When the UN rights rapporteur calls for accountability, the appeal generally points to transparent investigations, public findings and redress for affected families. Those measures depend on access to affected areas and on the cooperation of the parties involved, which has often been limited.
A Wider Pattern of Cross-Border Tension
Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have been strained for months. An eight-day border clash in October of last year left about 37 people dead and more than 400 wounded. Pakistan conducted further airstrikes in Nangarhar and Paktika in February 2026, and Afghanistan launched a retaliatory operation days later. The Express Tribune reported that the Taliban responded to the latest strikes by sending rudimentary drones toward Pakistan, which Pakistani officials said were neutralised before causing casualties or significant damage. amu.tv +2
Bennett has repeatedly urged restraint from both sides. In an earlier post, he called on the Taliban and Pakistan to return to the negotiating table and stop using violence to address their disputes. He also urged the inclusion of women in the talks. amu
Diplomatic Efforts Under Way
Regional diplomacy is continuing alongside the violence. Russia has said it expects to ease Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions at a Moscow Format meeting, which follows the October 1 strikes. Whether such talks produce lasting results will depend on whether both governments commit to protecting civilians and to independent scrutiny of incidents that cause harm. ariananews
For now, the Kunar and Helmand airstrikes have again placed civilian casualties at the centre of the dispute. Bennett’s statement signals that UN human rights mechanisms will keep pressing for answers, and that the protection of civilians remains the standard against which both governments will be measured.
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