The Guardian (UK): For the millions of Afghans living in Pakistan – many of them journalists, activists or former government officials who fled Taliban rule – the rising tension is translating into fear at their doorsteps. Richard Bennett, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, says returning to their country will put them at “real risk of violent retaliatory attacks”. Click here to read more (external link).
Drones Will Be Afghanistan’s Leading Weapon In Conflict With Pakistan
Forbes: Islamabad and Kabul have released conflicting accounts regarding the scope and effectiveness of Afghanistan’s recent drone strikes. Afghan authorities claimed their attacks reached major Pakistani military targets, including sites near Islamabad, and inflicted significant damage and casualties. Pakistan rejected those assertions, stating that only a small number of drones were launched, primarily in border regions. Pakistani officials further maintained that their counter-drone systems intercepted the aircraft before they caused serious damage or fatalities. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – March 3, 2026
Taliban claim 110 civilians killed in Pakistani strikes
Amu: At least 110 civilians, most of them women and children, have been killed in Pakistani air and missile strikes since cross-border clashes began six days ago, a Taliban spokesman claimed Tuesday, offering a sharply higher toll than previously reported by the United Nations. Hamdullah Fitrat, Taliban deputy spokesman, told a news conference that 65 of the dead were women and children and that 123 other civilians had been wounded. He said the casualties resulted from airstrikes and mortar fire. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has reported 42 civilian deaths during the same period, a figure far lower than the Taliban’s claim. Click here to read more (external link).
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- UN says 42 civilians killed in cross-border clashes in Afghanistan
- Pakistani airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan kill teenager, residents say
- Four civilians killed, 16 injured in fresh Pakistani attacks in Khost
- Taliban say 28 of their forces killed in clashes with Pakistan
- 464 Taliban Killed In ‘Ghazab-ul-Haq’ Operation, Says Pakistan
Three children killed in Pakistani airstrike on Kunar province
Ariana: Local officials in Afghanistan’s Kunar province have reported that an airstrike conducted by Pakistani forces in Khas Kunar district resulted in the death of three children. The attack, which struck a return refugee camp in the Hajratabad area, also left another two children injured. Click here to read more (external link).
More
- Pakistan, Afghanistan show no signs of stepping back as fighting enters fifth day
- Pakistan declares ‘open war’ against Afghanistan
- Taliban Confirms New Pakistani Airstrikes On Kabul
- Naeem Wardak Claims Fighters Crossed Durand Line Into Pakistan, Clashes Ongoing
- Taliban Tyranny and Pakistani Airstrikes: The People of Afghanistan Trapped Between the Fires of War and a Flood of Disinformation
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Afghanistan to play Test and ODI series against India in June 2026
Amu: Afghanistan’s national cricket team will play a Test match and a three-match One-Day International series against India in June 2026, according to a schedule announced Monday by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The one-off Test between Afghanistan and India will be held in New Chandigarh from June 6 to June 10. The ODI series will begin on June 14 in Dharamshala, followed by matches in Lucknow on June 17 and Chennai on June 20. All ODI matches will start at 1:30 p.m. local time. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News in Dari – March 2, 2026
Herat residents report rising prices as Iran conflict disrupts imports
Amu: Residents and shopkeepers in Herat say prices for food and other basic goods have risen sharply following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which have disrupted trade flows into western Afghanistan. Herat, which relies heavily on imports through the Islam Qala border crossing with Iran, has felt the effects quickly, residents said. Many consumer goods, including cooking oil and other staple foods, are sourced from Iranian markets. “Israel and Iran are at war, and prices have increased a lot,” said Abdul Latif, a resident of Herat. “At the same time, Pakistan is attacking the Taliban, and it is the month of Ramadan. Our economic situation is very bad.” Click here to read more (external link).
Taliban foreign minister urges diplomatic solution in call with Araghchi
Amu: The Taliban’s foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, called for an immediate de-escalation of tensions during a phone conversation with Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. According to the statement, Muttaqi criticized recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran and emphasized “the necessity of an immediate halt to tensions” and a shift toward diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully. Click here to read more (external link).
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Taliban warn of ‘long-term consequences’ from US-Israel strikes on Iran
Amu: The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry said Sunday that recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran would have “long-term negative consequences” for the region, as hostilities continued to escalate. In a statement, the ministry expressed what it called “deep regret” over the attacks on Iran, which it said were initiated by Israel and the United States and later expanded with Iran’s retaliatory strikes, including against Gulf countries. Click here to read more (external link).
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