Nearly 66,000 Afghans displaced amid fierce fighting on Pakistan border: UN

United Nations migration agency warns that escalating violence on Afghanistan-Pakistan border risks further displacement.Published On 4 Mar 2026The United Nations says nearly 66,000 people have been displaced in Afghanistan as heavy shelling and explosions marked a seventh day of fighting along the country’s border with Pakistan.The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Wednesday warned of “escalating cross-border hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan and their growing humanitarian impact on civilians and people on the move”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Blasts heard in Kabul as Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict continueslist 2 of 3Pakistan says ‘no dialogue’ with Afghanistan as attacks persistlist 3 of 3Afghanistan’s Taliban says open to talks after Pakistan bombs major citiesend of list“The ongoing military confrontation along the Durand Line has reportedly resulted in civilian casualties, damage to critical infrastructure, and the displacement of nearly 66,000 people in eastern and southeastern Afghanistan,” the agency said in a statement.“These developments risk further displacement, accelerating returns, and exacerbating vulnerabilities in communities that are already overstretched and under-resourced.”The neighbouring countries are experiencing their worst fighting in years after Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities launched an operation last week against the Pakistani military along the 2,640km (1,640-mile) Durand Line, which separates the two nations.The Taliban said the operation was in response to deadly Pakistani air strikes in late February.Pakistani authorities have said the strikes aim to stop armed fighters from using Afghan territory to attack the country following weeks of violence and heightened tensions between the two sides.Rana Sanaullah, a political adviser to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, told Geo TV that Islamabad had achieved most targets, but operations continued.