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UN PhotoUN / AFGHANISTAN PAKISTAN UPDATE
STORY: UN / AFGHANISTAN PAKISTAN UPDATE
TRT: 2:11
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGAUGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 02 MARCH 2026, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations Headquarters
02 MARCH 2026, NEW YORK CITY
2.. Various shots, press briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Turning to the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Our colleagues at the UN Mission in Afghanistan tell us that cross-border clashes between de facto forces in Afghanistan and Pakistani security forces are ongoing today. The Mission reiterated its call for a halt in the fighting and also called on all parties to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law to protect civilians. In line with its Security Council mandate, the Mission continues to document incidents of civilian casualties inside Afghanistan. From the late 26 February to 1 March 2026, the UN Mission recorded at least 123 civilian casualties in Afghanistan, with 34 people killed, and 89 injured, including women and children. These figures remain preliminary.”
4. Wide shot, press briefing room
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Restrictions on movements in the border area due to the active conflict have reduced the capacity of humanitarian agencies and their partners to deliver life-saving and other assistance in the most-affected areas, leaving Afghan returnees from Pakistan particularly vulnerable. The UN Mission notes that humanitarian and medical facilities, including the emergency hospital at the Torkham border post and an IOM transit center, have also been damaged. The World Food Programme has paused its activities in the affected areas, with approximately 160,000 people impacted by the suspension of food distributions. Several of the provinces impacted by the fighting are experiencing critical levels of acute malnutrition.”
6. Wide shot, press briefing room
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The UN Mission warns that on Afghanistan’s western border with Iran, a potential increase in numbers of Afghan returnees is also anticipated, which will, as you can imagine, further stretching very scarce humanitarian supplies.”
8. Wide shot, press briefing room
The UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said, “cross-border clashes between de facto forces in Afghanistan and Pakistani security forces are ongoing today,” reiterating its call for “a halt in the fighting” and calling on all parties to “comply with their obligations under international law.”
Speaking to reporters today (02 Mar) in New York, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that in line with its Security Council mandate, UNAMA continues to document incidents of civilian casualties inside Afghanistan.
He said, “from the late 26 February to 1 March 2026, the UN Mission recorded at least 123 civilian casualties in Afghanistan, with 34 people killed, and 89 injured, including women and children. These figures remain preliminary.”
Dujarric also said, “restrictions on movements in the border area due to the active conflict have reduced the capacity of humanitarian agencies and their partners to deliver life-saving and other assistance in the most-affected areas, leaving Afghan returnees from Pakistan particularly vulnerable.”
The UN Mission noted, “humanitarian and medical facilities, including the emergency hospital at the Torkham border post and an IOM transit center, have also been damaged.”
Dujarric also said, “the World Food Programme has paused its activities in the affected areas, with approximately 160,000 people impacted by the suspension of food distributions.”
“Several of the provinces impacted by the fighting are experiencing critical levels of acute malnutrition,” he added.
The UN Mission warned that on Afghanistan’s western border with Iran, a potential increase in numbers of Afghan returnees is also anticipated, which will “further stretching very scarce humanitarian supplies,” the Spokesperson concluded.
