The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, reported that the number of casualties “cannot yet be independently verified” due to limited access.
Schools and markets in several border districts remain closed due to ongoing instability, while mortar fire has forced families to flee villages in northwestern Pakistan.
Relief operations in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been temporarily suspended, although aid continues in the southern part of the province.
The UN aid mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, repeated on Tuesday its call for a stop to the cross-border clashes.
UNAMA also calls on all parties to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, and to ensure the protection of civilians.
Shelling and airstrikes
In Afghanistan, cross-border shelling and airstrikes have reportedly caused civilian casualties and damage to homes. In Nangarhar province, five civilians, including children, were injured near Torkham crossing, while two others were injured in Nazyan district.
“Civilians must be protected at all times, as well as civilian infrastructure,” stressed UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned that further escalation could worsen one of the world’s biggest returnee crises, with more than five million Afghans returning over the past two years, putting a severe strain on already overburdened communities.
The UN deplores the killing of Iraqi women’s rights activist Yanar Mohammed
The United Nations has condemned the killing in Baghdad earlier this week of the internationally recognized women’s rights activist, Yanar Mohammed, as a “heinous murder”.
“This is tragic news for women human rights defenders in Iraq, in the region and beyond,” UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said during Wednesday’s briefing at UN headquarters in New York.
The UN human rights office, OHCHR, tweeted that it had been working closely with her and her organization, with rights chief Volker Türk calling for a swift and transparent investigation by the Iraqi authorities, along with full accountability.
Dedicated and tireless campaigner
According to news reports, Mohammed was shot dead by unidentified gunmen who opened fire from a motorcycle outside his home in the capital. The Organization for Women’s Freedom in Iraq – a group she founded – said she succumbed to her wounds in hospital.
The Iraqi prime minister has reportedly opened an investigation into the apparent assassination.
“She was committed tirelessly and with dedication to providing protection to many female victims of domestic and social violence,” said Mr. Dujarric, who sent condolences to his family and “courageous colleagues”.
Chile becomes the first country in South America to eradicate leprosy
Chile will become only the second country in the world to officially eliminate leprosy, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.
Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a chronic infectious disease that primarily affects the skin, peripheral nerves, mucous membranes in the upper respiratory tract and eyes. It can be cured and is found largely in the most vulnerable communities in less developed countries.
In Chile, a major outbreak occurred at the end of the 19th century on Easter Island. The spread to mainland Chile was limited, and in the late 1990s the last secondary cases were dealt with.
Although 47 cases were reported nationwide between 2012–2023, none were locally acquired, and WHO moved to assess whether elimination had been achieved by 2025.
‘Customer brand in the field of public health’
“Chile’s elimination of leprosy sends a clear message to the world: With sustained commitment, inclusive health services, integrated public health strategies, early detection and universal access to care, we can consign ancient diseases to history,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Chile’s performance paves the way for other nations and illustrates the impact of political will, cross-sectoral collaboration and adaptive planning in low-incidence settings.
“This landmark public health achievement is powerful evidence of what leadership, science and solidarity can accomplish,” the WHO chief said.
As a neglected tropical disease, leprosy persists in over 120 countries, with more than 200,000 new cases annually worldwide.
