United News of Bangladesh

Pakistan conducted overnight airstrikes in two Afghan provinces, with Afghanistan saying the attacks killed nine women and children and injured 11 other civilians, while Pakistan said it had targeted militant hideouts. Pakistan's Ministry of Information said the strikes targeted militant hideouts at two locations and that initial reports indicated 22 militants were killed. The casualty figures provided by either side could not be independently verified. The strikes came amid repeated cross-border clashes between the neighboring countries. Pakistan has carried out several airstrikes inside Afghanistan as tensions between the two countries have sharply increased this year. The two countries have long-standing disputes over militant activity along their border. The United Nations Mission in Afghanistan said last week that it had recorded more than 1,100 civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan from cross-border violence so far this year. Pakistan denies targeting civilians, saying its operations are directed at militants responsible for attacks inside the country. Afghanistan, meanwhile, denies providing shelter to militants. Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for Afghanistan's Taliban government, said the strikes hit civilian homes in southern Helmand province and eastern Kunar province. He said three houses were destroyed, nine women and children were killed and 11 other civilians were injured. "We condemn this act and consider it an act of aggression and a crime that violates all universally accepted principles," he said. Pakistan's Ministry of Information described the strikes as "well planned and calibrated" operations against militant hideouts and camps. It said the targets were hit "with precision and accuracy" and that large quantities of weapons and ammunition were found and destroyed. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan's Taliban government of allowing militants, particularly the Pakistani Taliban, formally known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to operate from Afghan territory and launch attacks inside Pakistan. The TTP is separate from, but allied with, the Afghan Taliban, which has governed Afghanistan since taking power in 2021. Kabul denies providing the group a safe haven and rejects Pakistan's accusations. "The threat to Pakistan emanates from Afghanistan," Pakistan's ministry said, adding that its operations had precisely targeted "terrorist hubs." The ministry said maximum precautions had been taken to prevent civilian casualties and claimed that no collateral damage had occurred. It added that the campaign would continue "at full pace" to eliminate the militant threat.

Pakistan said it carried out airstrikes early Thursday on 10 locations in Afghanistan that it claimed were used to launch drone attacks against Pakistan a day earlier, sharply escalating tensions between the two countries and raising concerns over ongoing mediation efforts. The strikes hit areas in the southern and eastern Afghan provinces of Kandahar, Paktia and Khost, killing four civilians, Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement. “These shameless acts of aggression and attacks by the Pakistani military regime will be met with an appropriate response,” he said. Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced the strikes after officials said Afghan Taliban forces had launched eight drones and shelled Pakistani border posts following an attempted cross-border infiltration by militants, which Pakistani troops said they had foiled. Tarar also posted aerial footage on X that appeared to show several strikes hitting large compounds in Kandahar and Khost. He said the air and drone strikes destroyed militant hideouts and support facilities, including drone launch and storage sites, at 10 locations in areas controlled by the Taliban. According to Tarar, the sites were linked to attacks on civilians in Pakistan and Wednesday’s drone incursions. Mujahid rejected Pakistan’s claims that Afghanistan had launched drone attacks and warned that Pakistan would face “consequences” for the airstrikes. The latest strikes came days after Pakistani fighter jets hit sites in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, which Islamabad said were militant hideouts. The escalation could complicate mediation efforts by China, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to help establish lasting peace between Kabul and Islamabad. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban government in Afghanistan of allowing militants to use its territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul has denied the allegations. “Instead of dismantling these networks and taking credible and verifiable action against those using Afghan territory to perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan, the Afghan Taliban regime has chosen to escalate the situation through hostile drone operations against Pakistan,” Tarar said. He described the Pakistani strikes as “deliberate, precise, calibrated, and proportionate,” saying they were limited to identified military targets directly linked to the attempted attacks against Pakistan. Pakistani officials also said Wednesday that security forces had neutralized eight makeshift drones launched by the Afghan Taliban before they could reach the northwestern city of Kohat and the border town of Torkham. They also said Afghan forces had fired mortars and other heavy weapons at Pakistani border posts, prompting Pakistani forces to respond with artillery fire targeting Taliban border posts, mortar positions and defensive sites. The four officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the latest escalation with the media. Pakistan’s Information Ministry said 28 militants were killed in Monday’s airstrikes. Afghan authorities, however, said at least three civilians were killed and four others injured. The U.N. mission in Afghanistan confirmed the civilian casualties, and Kabul formally protested the strikes. On the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed concern over what he said was the presence of more than two dozen anti-Pakistani militant groups in Afghanistan. Monday’s airstrikes followed a gunbattle with militants in Hangu, a district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border, that killed six Pakistani security personnel. Days earlier, a suicide bomber attacked a mosque inside a police compound in nearby Kohat. Eight gunmen then stormed the compound, leading to a 20-hour gunbattle that killed at least 21 people, most of them police officers. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Pakistani authorities blamed the violence on the Pakistani Taliban and allied militant groups. The Pakistani Taliban, formally known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, have intensified attacks on Pakistani security forces since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Rabab Fatima of Bangladesh as his new Special Representative for Afghanistan and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). As a career diplomat, Fatima served as Ambassador of Bangladesh to Japan (2016-2019), as Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangladesh (2015-2016), and in Bangladesh missions in New York, Geneva, Beijing and Kolkata, and in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in different capacities.  Fatima succeeded Roza Otunbayeva, former President and Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan, to whom the Secretary-General expressed his gratitude for her dedicated service. He also thanks Georgette Gagnon of Canada, Deputy Special Representative of UNAMA, who currently serves as Officer-in-Charge of the Mission, according to an official announcement made by the UN Headquarters on July 15. Fatima brings to the position over 30 years of experience in national and international civil service, encompassing bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, policymaking, advocacy, programme planning, and implementation.  She currently serves as Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS). Prior to this, she was the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York (2019-2022).  In that capacity, she served as the President of the Executive Boards of UNICEF (2020) and UN-Women (2022), as well as Vice-President of the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board (2021).  She was the first woman to be elected as the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission in 2022.  She also served as a Vice-President of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Fatima also served in the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as Regional Adviser for South and South-West Asia and Regional Adviser for Climate Change and Migration (2012-2015), and as Regional Representative for South Asia (2007-2011).  She was also the Head of Human Rights at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London (2006-2007). Fatima holds a master’s degree in international relations and diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, United States, and a bachelor’s degree in social science from the University of Canberra, Australia.  In addition to her native Bangla, she speaks English and has working knowledge of Hindi and Urdu.

At least 36 civilians were killed and more than 160 others injured in overnight Pakistani airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, Afghan officials said Monday, as tensions between the two neighbouring countries continue to rise. Pakistan said its security forces carried out a ground operation along the Afghanistan border late Sunday, followed by airstrikes targeting militant hideouts and safe havens. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said 29 militants were killed during the operation, which he described as a response to a series of recent militant attacks inside Pakistan. Afghanistan's Taliban-led government strongly condemned the strikes, calling them a "cowardly act of aggression" and an "act of brutality." Deputy Taliban spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said Pakistani forces first struck a house in Chamkani district of Paktia province, killing an elderly man and a child and injuring several family members. According to Fitrat, residents rushed to the scene to help the victims, but the area was hit again, killing 28 villagers and injuring 158 others. In a separate strike on a village in Giyan district of Paktika province, six people, mostly women and children, were killed when another house was hit, he said. Fitrat also said a civilian home in Kunar province was struck, killing around 30 livestock but causing no human casualties. Pakistan has faced a sharp increase in attacks targeting police and security forces in recent years. Authorities blame the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and allied militant groups for most of the violence. Although separate organizations, the TTP is closely allied with Afghanistan's Taliban, which returned to power in Kabul in 2021. The latest Pakistani operation came a day after militants attacked the headquarters of the paramilitary Rangers in Karachi, killing three soldiers. Pakistan's military said security forces killed three attackers and arrested another suspect, whom it identified as an injured Afghan national. The militant group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack. The latest cross-border operation took place less than three weeks after Pakistan carried out similar airstrikes inside Afghanistan targeting what it described as militant bases. The strikes ended about a month of relative calm following what Islamabad had earlier described as an "open war" between the two neighbours, despite international efforts to reduce tensions. Cross-border fighting has intensified in recent months, with hundreds of people reported killed since February, when Afghanistan launched retaliatory strikes following earlier Pakistani air raids. Several rounds of talks have failed to produce a lasting ceasefire. China hosted negotiations between the two sides in April, after which Beijing said both countries had agreed to avoid further escalation and work toward a peaceful solution.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has confirmed that 13 civilians, mostly women and children, were killed in Pakistani airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, matching casualty figures earlier reported by Afghan authorities. In a statement posted on X on Thursday, UNAMA said it had documented 13 civilian deaths and 10 injuries resulting from airstrikes carried out overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday in the eastern provinces of Khost, Kunar and Paktika. The UN mission said the casualties were mainly children and women and renewed its call for de-escalation, a durable ceasefire, protection of civilians, reopening of border crossings for humanitarian assistance and dialogue to resolve differences between the two neighboring countries. The strikes ended nearly a month of relative calm between Pakistan and Afghanistan, whose border conflict has continued despite repeated international mediation efforts. Pakistan had earlier rejected claims made by Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid that the attacks killed 13 civilians, dismissing the allegations as propaganda. The border between the two countries has remained closed for months, disrupting trade and transport and leaving thousands stranded. Fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan has intensified since February, when Afghan forces reportedly carried out retaliatory attacks following Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan. Hundreds of people have been killed in the violence, while multiple rounds of peace talks have failed to secure a lasting truce. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of sheltering militants responsible for attacks inside its territory, particularly members of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Kabul has denied the allegations. At a weekly briefing in Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the latest airstrikes targeted militant camps and hideouts along the border. He said the operation was launched in response to a series of recent militant attacks inside Pakistan and was based on credible intelligence. According to Andrabi, the strikes specifically targeted hideouts of militants referred to by Pakistan as “Fitna al-Khawarij,” a term used by authorities for the Pakistani Taliban and allied groups. He maintained that the operation was carried out with precision and that Pakistan would continue military actions against militant sanctuaries to protect national security. Asked about the UN report on civilian casualties, Andrabi said the government would review its findings but questioned the methodology used to determine the casualty figures, insisting that the strikes were directed solely at militant targets.

Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities have restarted negotiations in China, where Beijing is acting as a mediator to help secure a lasting ceasefire following weeks of clashes, according to two Pakistani officials on Wednesday. Another source familiar with the mediation process said the discussions are focused on ending the ongoing hostilities. Officials, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization to brief the media, said delegations from both sides are meeting in Urumqi, a city in northern China. China has yet to make any official statement on the matter, while Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has neither confirmed nor denied the talks. However, sources indicated that the negotiations are seen as a hopeful step toward easing tensions affecting millions of people in both Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan. Pakistan has long alleged that Afghanistan shelters militants responsible for cross-border attacks, particularly members of the Pakistani Taliban. While the group is distinct, it maintains close ties with the Afghan Taliban, who returned to power in 2021 after the withdrawal of US-led forces. Kabul has consistently rejected these accusations. Relations worsened last month after Afghan authorities claimed that a Pakistani airstrike struck a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul, leaving more than 400 people dead. The United Nations said the casualty figures are still being verified. Pakistan denied targeting civilians, asserting that it struck a weapons depot. Earlier, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the country had targeted only militant infrastructure and not civilian facilities, emphasizing that operations were directed at Taliban-linked military and terrorist setups. Although both sides observed a temporary ceasefire during Eid al-Fitr, hostilities resumed afterward, albeit at a lower intensity compared to the heavy fighting seen in February and March, when Pakistan conducted repeated airstrikes on militant positions and Afghan sites. The conflict has intensified in recent years. In February, Pakistan declared it was in a state of “open war” with Afghanistan. The violence has raised concerns globally, especially as groups like al-Qaida and Islamic State remain active in the region. Sources said the latest talks were initiated after both countries agreed to China’s mediation offer. Tensions have persisted for months, with recent clashes also undermining a Qatar-brokered ceasefire reached in October that had previously halted fighting which killed dozens, including civilians and security personnel. Earlier negotiations held in Istanbul in November also failed to produce a lasting peace agreement.

Pakistan has carried out airstrikes on Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, and other cities, marking a sharp escalation of hostilities along the two countries’ shared border. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declared on Friday that Islamabad’s patience with the Taliban authorities had ended, describing the situation as “open war.” The strikes followed Afghan Taliban claims of “large-scale offensive operations” against Pakistani forces along the Durand Line, which separates the two countries, reports Al Jazeera. Pakistani officials said Afghan forces attacked border military posts, prompting Pakistan to hit Taliban targets in Kabul, Paktia, and Kandahar provinces. The attacks reportedly destroyed brigade bases, ammunition depots, and multiple checkpoints. Gunfire and shelling were also reported near the Torkham border crossing. Casualty reports differ sharply. Pakistan’s Prime Minister spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi claimed 133 Taliban fighters were killed, over 200 wounded, and 27 Taliban posts destroyed. Pakistani media said two Pakistani soldiers died. The Taliban, however, reported only eight fighters killed and 11 wounded, while Afghanistan claimed its forces killed 55 Pakistani soldiers and captured military posts. Independent verification of these figures was not available. The violence reflects ongoing tensions since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Afghanistan does not formally recognize the Durand Line, arguing it was a colonial imposition that split Pashtun areas. Pakistan accuses the Taliban of sheltering armed groups like the Pakistan Taliban (TTP), responsible for attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. Analysts say the Afghan Taliban has avoided cracking down on the TTP due to ideological ties and fear of defections to the Islamic State Khorasan Province, raising the risk of further escalation. Global reactions have been critical. India condemned Pakistan’s strikes, highlighting civilian casualties during Ramadan. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both sides to respect international law. Iran called for resolving differences through dialogue and neighborly principles, while Russia also urged an immediate halt to cross-border attacks and offered mediation. Experts warn that Afghanistan, lacking a strong air force and conventional military, remains vulnerable. The conflict is likely to continue along the border, with Pakistan retaining the upper hand due to superior military capabilities. Both nations are expected to continue artillery exchanges and targeted strikes, raising fears of prolonged instability in the region.

Amid the ongoing war between two SAARC countries - Afghanistan and Pakistan, Bangladesh has decided not to make any public comments but stressed that such war does not bring anything good. "It is an unfortunate matter. We are not saying anything in public but we are trying to make our friends understand that such war is not good for anyone," Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman told reporters at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport upon his return from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia early Saturday. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir was also present. The Associated Press (AP) says Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged cross-border attacks overnight in a dramatic escalation of tensions that led Pakistan’s defense minister to say on Friday that the two countries are in a state of “open war.” Pakistan, Afghanistan trade strikes as Defense Minister declares “Open War” Afghanistan launched an attack on Pakistan late Thursday, saying it was in retaliation for deadly Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan border areas Sunday. Pakistan then carried out airstrikes in Kabul and two other Afghan provinces early Friday, saying it targeted military installations. On the sidelines of the extraordinary ministerial session of the executive committee of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah, Foreign Minister Dr Rahman held bilateral talks with the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar; Foreign Minister of the Gambia, Sering Modou Njie; Foreign Minister of Palestine, Dr Varsen Ohanes Vartan Aghabekian; Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkey, Ambassador Musa Kulaklikaya; and also the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Waleed A Elkhereiji, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday. The Foreign Minister of Bangladesh and Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to deepening ties and agreed to work closely together to promote 'peace, stability, and shared prosperity' in the region, according to Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Foreign Minister Dr Rahman, during his recent courtesy meeting with Secretary General of SAARC Md. Golam Sarwar on February 24, reiterated Bangladesh's conviction in abiding commitment to the principles enshrined in the SAARC Charter including sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interference in internal affairs, and mutual benefit of the peoples of member states.  

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has etched his name in history by becoming the first bowler to claim 700 wickets in recognized T20 cricket. The leg-spinner achieved the monumental milestone during Afghanistan's T20 World Cup match against the United Arab Emirates at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday. The historic moment arrived in the 16th over of the UAE innings. Rashid, bowling his final spell, dismissed batter Muhammad Irfan in unusual fashion. Attempting a reverse sweep, Irfan lost his balance and dislodged the bails, resulting in a hit-wicket dismissal. Afghanistan sends South Africa in to bat in must-win T20 World Cup match Rashid had been hovering on the brink of the record since the previous match against South Africa, where he took two wickets to reach 699. Despite the magnitude of the achievement, the Afghan skipper’s celebration was understated, as he appeared focused on the immediate challenge of Super Eight qualification. With this feat, Rashid has established a significant lead at the top of the all-time T20 wicket-taking charts. His nearest rival is former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo with 631 wickets, while the closest active player is Sunil Narine with 613. Rashid also tops the charts in T20 Internationals with 191 wickets, ahead of New Zealand’s Tim Southee (164) and Ish Sodhi (162). New Zealand script historic chase to beat Afghanistan in World Cup Speaking before the South Africa match last Tuesday, Rashid downplayed the personal accolade. “I didn’t set a goal to stop at 700 wickets. When I play for the country in the World Cup, my 100 percent effort is to take wickets according to the team’s needs,” he said.

New Zealand kicked off their T20 World Cup campaign with a record-breaking victory, chasing down a target of 183 to defeat Afghanistan by 5 wickets in Chennai on Sunday. This is now New Zealand's highest successful run chase in T20 World Cup history, surpassing their previous best of 170. Batting first after winning the toss, Afghanistan posted a competitive 182 for 6 in their 20 overs. All-rounder Gulbadin Naib starred with a career-best 63, while Sediqullah Atal contributed 29 and Rahmanullah Gurbaz added 27. Lockie Ferguson was the pick of the bowlers for the Kiwis, taking 2 wickets in a single over during the powerplay to check Afghanistan’s momentum. Read More: T20 World Cup Opener: Pakistan opt to bowl first vs Netherlands In reply, New Zealand faced an early scare as spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman struck twice in the second over, removing Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra to leave them at 14 for 2. However, a counter-attacking partnership between Tim Seifert and Glenn Phillips steadied the ship. Seifert played a match-winning knock of 65, while Phillips smashed a quickfire 42 off 25 balls. Their aggressive approach ensured New Zealand never fell behind the required rate, with the team reaching 52 for 2 by the end of the powerplay. Later contributions from Mark Chapman (28 off 17) and Daryl Mitchell (25 off 14) helped the Black Caps seal the win with 13 balls to spare.