SECURITY — March 27, 2026
Former Foreign Minister Atmar Urges Taliban Elders, Opponents to Unite via Emergency Loya Jirga
Former Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar urged Taliban elders and political opponents to resolve differences through an emergency Loya Jirga for national unity following Pakistan's March 16, 2026, airstrike on a Kabul drug rehab center that killed 143 people. He condemned the attack and criticized the international community and OIC for their silence.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Afghanistan International — 2 min read
KABUL (Afghan Verified) -- Former Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar called on Taliban elders and their political opponents to immediately resolve differences through an emergency Loya Jirga to achieve national reconciliation and mount a unified defense of Afghanistan.
Atmar made the remarks in response to a Pakistani airstrike on March 16, 2026, that targeted a drug addicts' treatment center in Kabul. The United Nations reported 143 people killed in the attack. Human Rights Watch described the strike as "illegal" and a "potential war crime," urging Pakistani officials to conduct an impartial investigation.
Atmar condemned the civilian deaths as a "clear disregard for international humanitarian law and fundamental principles of Islam" that protect non-combatants.
He also accused the international community and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation of maintaining a "shameful silence" on Pakistan's attacks, calling on them to hold Islamabad accountable and resume efforts for peace in Afghanistan.
Read the original reporting at Afghanistan International →
Reliability assessment
Single outlet provides direct, on-record attributions with concrete details: named former FM Atmar's statement, specific HRW report description, and UN casualty figure for the March 16, 2026, airstrike event.
The source language reads straight.
Independent web corroboration
An independent web search turned up no separate corroborating reports. Treat the account as single-sourced until more outlets pick it up.
Across the newsrooms
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Afghanistan International
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Reported straight
Filed under
Security — Atmar, Pakistan airstrike, Kabul, Human Rights Watch, Loya Jirga
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