Military clashes between Taliban and Pakistan displace over sixty six thousand civilians in Afghan border provinces

Over 66,000 people have been displaced in Afghanistan’s border areas as fighting between the Taliban and Pakistan damages vital humanitarian transit centers.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 5, 2026, 7:14 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Khaama.com

Mass displacement in eastern border regions

According to a formal report released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Thursday, the military conflict between Taliban forces and the Pakistani military has resulted in the displacement of more than 66,000 people. The affected populations are primarily located in Afghanistan’s eastern border provinces, where sustained fighting has made residential areas uninhabitable. This wave of displacement adds significant strain to a region already grappling with systemic instability and a lack of basic infrastructure, forcing families to seek refuge in increasingly crowded and undersupplied temporary settlements.

Impact on humanitarian and transit infrastructure

The safety of humanitarian operations has been called into question following the confirmed damage of a transit center used for Afghan returnees. The IOM expressed alarm that infrastructure dedicated to assisting those coming back from neighboring countries has become a casualty of the kinetic conflict. The damage to such facilities not only endangers the lives of civilians currently in transit but also severely hampers the ability of international aid agencies to provide organized support, food, and medical care to those most in need.

Compound crises for vulnerable families

For many of the displaced, the current conflict represents a secondary or tertiary crisis. The IOM report highlighted that many families who were recently forced to move had previously fled the devastating impacts of an earthquake in the Kunar Province. These individuals, who were already in a fragile state of recovery, have been uprooted once again by the cross-border shelling and artillery fire. This cycle of recurring displacement is creating a humanitarian catastrophe as families lose their remaining assets and access to consistent aid.