Fereshta Abbasi, an Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, has called on the parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law following civilian casualties in Pakistani airstrikes on Kunar and Helmand provinces.
Abbasi said on Friday, October 2, referring to a report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), that international humanitarian law requires parties to the conflict to take all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians.
UNAMA confirmed on Thursday that at least 10 civilians were killed in airstrikes in Kunar and Helmand provinces.
The remarks come as the European Union also expressed regret over civilian casualties caused by Pakistani airstrikes on Kunar and Helmand and called on Afghanistan and Pakistan to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue to resolve the tensions.
