Statement by UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia, Sanjay Wijesekera, on the impact of renewed cross-border hostilities on children in Afghanistan and Pakistan

KATHMANDU/NEW YORK, 2 March 2026 – “UNICEF is alarmed by reports that children have been killed and injured in the recent escalation of hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“While we are working to verify these reports in coordination with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and other UN partners, it is already clear that children are bearing a heavy toll.

“Following intense fighting, families who survived last year’s devastating earthquake in eastern Afghanistan are now being asked to evacuate displacement camps near the border for their own safety. The affected camps were established to provide essential support, including shelter, food, healthcare, safe water and sanitation, child-friendly spaces, and emergency education to 17,000 survivors, approximately half of them are children.

“For families who have already lost so much, this renewed displacement compounds their suffering. Once again, children are being uprooted from what little stability they had regained and are exposed to heightened risks of disease, malnutrition, violence and exploitation.

“In Pakistan, escalating tensions have also affected children and families in border areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Authorities have now reportedly closed 138 government schools as a precautionary measure, given recent attacks on schools, including a drone strike in Ghalanai, disrupting access to education for thousands of children. Routine immunization is also being impacted. Displacement and insecurity have increased protection concerns, including the risk of injury and loss of life, alongside risks posed by unexploded ordnance in affected communities.

“UNICEF calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, protect civilian lives, and uphold their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law. Children must be protected at all times.”