Afghanistan in March 2026: the most important developments in security
In March 2026, Afghanistan's security situation was defined by open fighting with Pakistan. The most heavily reported event was a Pakistani airstrike on a site in Kabul on March 16. The Taliban government said it hit a drug rehabilitation hospital and killed hundreds of people, with figures up to 400; a survivor described the target as a rehabilitation center where patients were eating. Pakistan rejected the claim, and its military spokesman called it "ridiculous," saying the target was an ammunition storage site.
The fighting began the month at full intensity. On March 1 Afghan forces fired on Pakistani military aircraft over Kabul, and Pakistan reported striking the Bagram air base in what it calls Operation Ghazab Lil Haq. On March 2 the Taliban carried out drone strikes on Pakistani bases, including Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi and a headquarters in Quetta, and Pakistan reportedly struck Taliban positions in Kabul. Pakistan's information minister said between 435 and 464 Afghan combatants had been killed, and on March 4 the defense minister said operations would continue until militant groups were cleared from the border regions. The Taliban reported that 67 of its fighters had been killed in operations that were foiled. The United Nations noted many civilian deaths. Pakistan carried out further airstrikes on March 13 and 15, including in Kandahar province, and Afghanistan said it attacked a military facility in Islamabad.
On March 18 Pakistan announced a pause in operations for the Eid holiday, and both sides observed it. On March 25 Pakistan's military resumed Operation Ghazab Lil Haq with airstrikes and shelling, and reports again mentioned a hospital hit in Kabul and civilian casualties in Kunar province.
Separately, the Taliban freed the American Dennis Coyle after more than a year in captivity; he landed in Texas on March 25.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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