Pakistan Warns ‘Attack From Afghanistan’ Will Not Go Unanswered

A joint statement did not provide precise figures for the number of victims or detainees.

In a statement issued on Saturday, 21 February, the UN experts said the majority of those arrested or killed in the nationwide protests were civilians, including children. The statement noted that the victims came from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds and included Afghan nationals.

Iranian authorities have not released official figures on Afghan casualties or detainees linked to the recent unrest.

The UN experts called on the Iranian authorities to disclose the fate and whereabouts of those detained and urged Tehran to halt all executions and punishments imposed on protesters.

They said families across Iran have been unable to locate relatives in hospitals, detention centres or among the deceased in forensic facilities.

US President Donald Trump recently claimed that 32,000 people were killed in Iran within a short period. Iran International previously reported that at least 36,500 people had died during protests across the country. Time magazine has published similar figures. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has confirmed 3,117 deaths.

Residents in these areas told Afghanistan International that they felt powerful tremors and rushed out of their homes.

The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake measured 5.8 in magnitude and was centred in Bazarak district, the capital of Panjshir province.

Audiences also reported feeling the tremor in Kunduz and Kapisa provinces. According to the US Geological Survey, the quake occurred at around 5:40pm local time.

There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The Taliban authorities have not yet commented on the earthquake.

The council is also expected to review the broader human rights situation in the country.

In a post on X, Bennett said he would deliver an oral update on recent human rights developments. He recently visited Pakistan and, speaking at a conference in Lahore, warned that the deportation of Afghan migrants could expose them to serious human rights risks.

The 61st session of the Human Rights Council is being held in Geneva from Monday, 23 February, to Tuesday, 1 April. The agenda includes panel discussions on global human rights issues, women’s rights, the rights of persons with disabilities and children’s rights.

Afghanistan is among the key items on the agenda. The council is expected to receive an oral update from the UN secretary-general on progress towards establishing an independent investigative mechanism into alleged human rights violations in Afghanistan.

A resolution to create such a mechanism was adopted by the Human Rights Council in October.

Member states will also consider a one-year extension of Bennett’s mandate as special rapporteur on Afghanistan.
In addition, a report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation in Afghanistan is due to be presented during the session.

A resident of District 17 told Afghanistan International on Thursday, 19 February, that an unmanned aerial vehicle was observed flying at a visible altitude above the city.

The resident shared a video with the broadcaster showing what appeared to be a drone circling in the sky over Kabul. According to the resident, the aircraft remained over the capital for several hours.

It is not clear which country the drone may belong to. The Taliban have not issued an official statement regarding the reported flight.

Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban has not had full control over Afghanistan’s airspace. Taliban officials have previously acknowledged that the country’s skies remain under what they describe as “occupation”.

Over more than four years of Taliban rule, residents in several provinces have repeatedly reported sightings of unidentified drones.

According to various reports, US surveillance drones and military aircraft have flown over parts of Afghanistan during this period. Pakistan has also operated fighter jets and drones in Afghan airspace with US approval and coordination, according to reports.

In a message released on Friday, 19 February, UNAMA said that no country can achieve social justice when half of its population is deprived of secondary education.

At the same time, Afghan activists launched a campaign titled the “National Campaign for Girls’ Education”, urging the immediate reopening of girls’ secondary schools.

The United Nations designated 20 February as the World Day of Social Justice at a 1995 summit in Copenhagen. The day aims to promote equal rights for all and to combat discrimination, inequality and social exclusion.

Over the past four years, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on citizens, particularly women and girls, intensifying discrimination, poverty and marginalisation, according to critics.

In its statement, UNAMA said social justice in Afghanistan requires non-discriminatory access to employment and sustained humanitarian support for families in need.

The mission stressed that lasting peace can only be achieved through the meaningful participation of women, young people, diverse ethnic groups and persons with disabilities in decision-making processes.

Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, the international community has repeatedly called on the group to establish an inclusive government. The Taliban have largely dismissed those appeals.

Afghan activists supporting girls’ education said no society can claim to uphold social justice while denying equal access to education.

In a statement, they said: “A government that deprives half of society of the right to education, the right to choose and the right to dignity can neither expect obedience from its people nor their support.”

The activists also urged the Taliban to end what they described as hostility towards justice, knowledge and national interests, and called on families and civil society institutions to join the campaign in support of girls’ education.

The World Day of Social Justice comes as, during more than four years of Taliban rule, many social groups, especially women and ethnic and religious minorities, have faced discrimination and harassment.

Over that period, the Taliban have issued dozens of decrees restricting the rights of women and girls in education, employment and public life. Human rights experts and activists have described these policies as amounting to “gender apartheid” and have called for their recognition and criminalisation under international law.