UNAMA

As the Taliban marks five years in power in Afghanistan, some residents report feeling safer but emphasize pressing needs for job creation and expanded education access. International bodies noted that while stability has improved, significant restrictions imposed by the ruling group on women severely impede the nation’s recovery and development. The group, which initially pledged to protect women’s rights, has since banned girls from secondary education and restricted employment and travel for women.

Cross-border fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan from October to June killed 499 Afghan civilians and wounded 1,216 others, per a UN report. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring militants, including the Pakistani Taliban, while denying civilian targeting. A March airstrike on a Kabul drug treatment center killed hundreds, with Amnesty International calling for a war crime investigation.

The UN reported 499 Afghan civilians killed and 1,216 wounded between October and June due to cross-border fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan. A Pakistani airstrike in March hit a Kabul drug treatment center, killing hundreds, while Pakistan denied targeting civilians, claiming strikes targeted militant infrastructure.

Pakistan rejected Amnesty International's call for an investigation into its March airstrike on Kabul's Omid drug rehabilitation center, claiming the operation was lawful self-defense. Amnesty found no evidence the site was used for military purposes, while Pakistan disputes Afghanistan's claim of 400 civilian deaths, asserting the strike targeted a legitimate military site.

The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution urging Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to reverse restrictions on women and combat militant groups. The resolution extends the U.N. political mission in Afghanistan until 2027 and authorizes support for humanitarian aid and governance without discrimination. It follows violent dispersal of a protest in Herat after women were arrested for violating the Taliban’s dress code.