According to a new UN report, the security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated sharply. From February to April, 3,687 security incidents were recorded in the country, a 57.7% increase compared to the same period last year.
Despite growing internal instability, the Taliban regime maintains effective control over the country's territory and does not currently face immediate threats from armed opposition groups.
One of the key destabilizing factors has been direct military clashes between the Taliban regime and Pakistan. From January 26 to March 31, 764 civilians were affected by these events, with 372 killed. The most destructive incident was a Pakistani airstrike on March 16 on the Omid rehabilitation clinic in Kabul, killing at least 269 people, mostly patients.
Ongoing cross-border artillery shelling and drone strikes have also led to the forced displacement of about 94,000 people. The majority of internally displaced persons are women and children.
The logistical blockade caused by the closure of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in October 2025 reduced bilateral trade through the Pakistani corridor by more than 90%. The forced rerouting of goods through Iran and Central Asia increased operational costs by $3,000 per container. This led to March inflation rising to 7.6% and a 6.8% increase in the food basket.
The situation is exacerbated by a decline in the amount of cash currency the UN imports for humanitarian purposes. In the first quarter of 2026, it amounted to $80 million, compared to $200 million in the same period last year.
Against this backdrop, Central Asian states are beginning to trade more actively with Kabul. On March 10, Uzbekistan signed a preferential trade agreement with Afghanistan, eliminating customs duties on 14 types of goods. Later, on March 28, during a visit by a delegation from Namangan region, a package of commercial agreements worth $514 million was signed.
In Tashkent on April 21, following a trilateral meeting of representatives from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and the Taliban regime, the parties agreed to establish a joint working group on regional trade and transit.
Inside the country, the civic space continues to shrink, and the rights of the population are systematically restricted. In March, five years passed since the ban on education for girls above the sixth grade was introduced. As a result, about 2.6 million children remain outside the school system.
A decree issued by the Taliban regime on the criminal procedure code legalized discrimination against women, effectively depriving them of the status of independent legal subjects and legalizing the application of corporal punishment by private male individuals.
Furthermore, contrary to amnesty promises, the UN reports ongoing cases of extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary arrests of former members of the Afghan national security forces.
According to the UN, in 2026, 21.9 million people—about 45% of Afghanistan's population—will need humanitarian assistance. However, the international Humanitarian Response Plan worth $1.7 billion was only 14% funded as of April 30, with $240.9 million raised.
The UN leadership urges stakeholders to maintain communication channels with Kabul to facilitate its gradual integration into the international community, provided Afghanistan fulfills its human rights obligations.
Source: podrobno.uz