Taliban-Pak Fighting Worsening Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Crisis, Says EU Envoy

A Pakistani security source said the drone used was a rotary-wing, or copter-type, similar to those operated by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The black-and-white footage shows a drone dropping explosives from a low altitude onto a rectangular structure described as a Pakistani military position. Moments later, an explosion is seen.

Taliban officials have not disclosed details about the type or origin of the drones. However, the Pakistani security source said TTP had obtained several drones “through traders in Afghanistan,” adding that the Afghan Taliban may have supplied some, though this remains unconfirmed.

These small, lightweight, remotely controlled drones are often used by both state and non-state armed groups. This marks the first time Taliban-linked media have claimed the group has employed drones in combat beyond Afghanistan’s borders.

It remains unclear which country may have supplied military-grade drones to the Taliban. The group maintains close ties with Iran, a major producer and exporter of drones in the region.

Experts note that while commercial drones can be modified for military use, advanced models capable of carrying explosives are tightly controlled and typically sold only to governments.

On Wednesday, Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was the first outlet to report, citing sources close to the Taliban, that Taliban forces had attacked Pakistani army positions along the Durand Line using drones. The report was later deleted from the Tasnim website.

According to the deleted report, the attacks “inflicted heavy casualties on Pakistani soldiers.” The Pakistani government has not yet issued an official response.

The court said the death sentence had been approved by the Taliban’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada.

The court identified the executed man as Ismail, who was found guilty of deliberately killing a man named Dost Mohammad and a woman named Gulbarg. According to the statement, the death sentence was upheld by the Taliban’s primary, appellate, and supreme courts.

The execution was carried out in a sports stadium in Badghis in the presence of the Taliban’s chief justice, local officials, the Taliban governor of Herat, judges, government department heads, military personnel, and hundreds of residents.

In April 2024, the Taliban publicly executed four men across three provinces, two in Badghis, one in Nimroz, and one in Farah, all convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas (retribution).

Due to a lack of transparency and independent access, no comprehensive data exist on the total number of executions conducted under Taliban rule, both during their first regime (1996–2001) and since returning to power in 2021. However, based on official Taliban statements and available reports, this marks at least the tenth confirmed execution since the group’s return to power.

The Taliban Supreme Court did not specify whether the accused had access to legal representation or a fair trial.

Human rights organisations have repeatedly raised concerns over the absence of due process and fair trials under Taliban rule. Despite widespread international condemnation of corporal punishment, torture, and public executions, the Taliban continue to conduct public floggings and executions, claiming they are in accordance with Islamic Sharia law.

UNAMA added that in separate incidents in the provinces of Paktia, Paktika, Kunar, and Helmand, at least one person was killed and 15 civilians were injured.

The mission noted that casualty figures remain preliminary as data collection is ongoing and the actual toll may be higher.

UNAMA urged both sides to cease hostilities, stressing the need to protect civilians and prevent further loss of life amid escalating border tensions.

Bertrand said that supporting Afghan women and girls remains a top priority for him.

The meeting marked the envoy’s first visit to Kabul since his appointment. The EU delegation in Kabul has not yet commented publicly on Bertrand’s trip.

In a statement, the Taliban prime minister’s office said Hanafi thanked the European Union for its assistance to Afghanistan and Afghan refugees.

According to the statement, Hanafi told the EU envoy that the Taliban seeks to maintain positive relations with countries in the region and beyond.

The European Union appointed Bertrand, a French diplomat, as its new special envoy for Afghanistan earlier this month. He is a veteran EU diplomat with prior experience working in Afghanistan.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the group had instructed its fighters to fully observe the truce once it begins.

In a post on X, Mujahid stated that the Taliban agreed to the ceasefire “at the request and insistence of the Pakistani side.”

Earlier, sources within Pakistan’s military told Afghanistan International that Islamabad had accepted the Taliban’s proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire to de-escalate tensions along the border.

The temporary truce comes after several days of heavy fighting between Taliban and Pakistani forces, which left dozens dead on both sides and forced the closure of key border crossings, including Torkham and Spin Boldak.