The Afghan Taliban government said the strike, which hit a facility in the capital late on Monday as patients and staff were praying ahead of the end of Ramadan, also wounded at least 265 people.

The casualty figures have not been independently verified.The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) told Reuters that 143 people were killed and 119 wounded, offering a significantly lower toll than Afghan authorities.

Relatives gathered at the site on Wednesday, combing through lists and debris in search of loved ones who had been undergoing treatment at the centre.

“We came here looking for our patient, he is missing,” said Mazar, 50, who gave only one name.

“We checked the lists, but his name was not in the list of the living. Maybe he is injured or has been killed.”Afghanistan’s interior ministry said funerals for some of those killed would take place later in the day.

Afghan authorities said the strike hit a well-known civilian rehabilitation centre, formerly a NATO military base known as Camp Phoenix that had been converted into a treatment facility about a decade ago.

Pakistan rejected those claims, stating that its forces had “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure,” disputing assertions that civilians were the primary victims.

Independent experts said verifying the exact nature of the target would be difficult without a third-party investigation, given sharply conflicting accounts from both sides.

The strike marks a sharp deterioration in relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, already strained by cross-border security concerns. The incident comes amid broader regional instability linked to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, further complicating the security landscape.

Samir Ousman Alsheikh, 73, was convicted on one count of conspiracy to commit torture and three substantive counts of torture for his role in abuses carried out at Damascus Central Prison, widely known as Adra Prison.

The verdict marks one of the most significant prosecutions in the United States targeting alleged human rights violations committed during Syria’s long-running conflict.

Accountability for abuses at Adra PrisonAccording to the Justice Department, Alsheikh led the prison between 2005 and 2008, a period during which prosecutors said detainees were subjected to systematic physical and psychological abuse.

The facility, located on the outskirts of Damascus, became synonymous among rights groups and survivors with harsh detention conditions and coercive interrogation practices.

Prosecutors told the court that Alsheikh not only oversaw operations but also directed subordinates to inflict “severe physical and mental pain and suffering” on prisoners.

In some instances, he was personally involved in acts of torture, the department said, framing the abuses as part of a broader effort to suppress dissent against the Syrian government.

The charges reflected allegations that torture was used deliberately to deter political opposition, a pattern long documented by international human rights organizations examining the conduct of Syrian state institutions during the years preceding and following the country’s civil war.

Alsheikh had pleaded not guilty, according to court filings. Following the verdict, his legal team said it was “disappointed” and confirmed that he would pursue appeals and other post-trial remedies.Immigration fraud and deceptionIn addition to the torture-related convictions, the jury found Alsheikh guilty of lying to U.S. immigration authorities about his past conduct.

Prosecutors said he fraudulently obtained a green card and later attempted to become a U.S. citizen by concealing his alleged role in human rights abuses.The Justice Department said these findings underscored a broader effort by U.S. authorities to prevent individuals accused of serious international crimes from using immigration pathways to evade accountability.

Alsheikh was charged in late 2024 after investigators pieced together evidence linking him to abuses in Syria’s detention system. The case was brought under statutes that allow U.S. courts to prosecute acts of torture committed abroad when suspects are present on American soil.

He remains in U.S. custody and is awaiting sentencing. The department said he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the torture counts, as well as the conspiracy charge.

He could also receive up to 10 years for each of the immigration-related offenses.Links to Syria’s security apparatusProsecutors described Alsheikh as a long-time member of Syria’s state security apparatus with ties to the ruling political structure under Assad.

He was associated with the Syrian Ba’ath Party and later held a senior administrative role when he was appointed governor of Deir Ez-Zour province in 2011.

That appointment came at the outset of Syria’s uprising, which escalated into a protracted civil war that reshaped the country’s political and social landscape.

The conflict, which lasted more than a decade, killed hundreds of thousands of people, displaced millions, and devastated urban centers across the country.The Justice Department said Alsheikh’s role within the system illustrated how detention facilities were integrated into the broader machinery of state control during that period.

Broader context of Syria’s political transitionThe conviction comes after major political changes in Syria, where rebels ended more than five decades of rule by the Assad family in late 2024 following a rapid military advance.

The shift in power marked a turning point after years of stalemate and fragmented territorial control.Following Assad’s ouster, Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander, assumed leadership and has since sought to rebuild Syria’s international standing and improve relations with Western countries.

While the trial focused on events predating the recent transition, it reflects continued international scrutiny of alleged crimes committed during the Assad era. Legal experts say such cases highlight the use of universal jurisdiction and domestic legal frameworks to address human rights violations that might otherwise go unpunished.

Legal and geopolitical significanceThe case underscores Washington’s willingness to pursue accountability for alleged torture carried out abroad, particularly when suspects enter U.S. jurisdiction.

It also signals a broader effort to align immigration enforcement with human rights objectives.Although U.S. courts have limited reach over crimes committed overseas, the presence of defendants like Alsheikh enables prosecutors to bring cases that might not be feasible in international tribunals or in the country where the crimes occurred.

The outcome may also carry symbolic weight for survivors and advocacy groups that have long documented abuses in Syria’s detention system, where thousands of detainees are believed to have been subjected to torture or enforced disappearance.

For European and North American governments, the verdict highlights ongoing legal avenues for addressing crimes linked to the Syrian conflict, even as diplomatic engagement with Syria’s new leadership evolves.

Alsheikh’s sentencing date has not yet been set, the Justice Department said.

At least 682 people were confirmed missing as of March 16, making the start of 2026 the deadliest on record for the route, according to the International Organization for Migration, though officials say the true toll is likely significantly higher.

Humanitarian groups and researchers say a growing lack of transparency from authorities is obscuring the number of deaths at sea, with fewer incidents documented or independently verified.

“It’s a strategy of silence,” said Matteo Villa of the Italian Institute for International Political Studies, pointing to the absence of official data releases and limited responses to media inquiries.Even the IOM has struggled to track cases. Julia Black, who leads its Missing Migrants Project, said the agency has created a separate dataset for “unverifiable cases,” with more than 400 already recorded this year alone.

Concerns intensified after Cyclone Harry struck in late January, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and high waves that disrupted migration routes.Groups including Refugees in Libya reported more than 1,000 people missing following the storm, though authorities have neither confirmed nor denied those figures.

In the weeks after the cyclone, bodies were found along coastlines in Italy and Libya, while others were seen floating at sea. Only one known survivor has been identified from boats reported missing during that period.Limited official responseRepeated requests for information by media outlets to authorities in Italy, Tunisia and Malta have gone unanswered.

Agencies have either declined to comment or said they lack verified information.Frontex said it detected several migrant boats during the cyclone period, with some rescued, but confirmed that the fate of others remains unknown.

Analysts say the information gap reflects a broader policy shift. Tunisia curtailed public data on migrant interceptions in 2024, citing security concerns, while Italy gradually reduced reporting on rescue operations, discontinuing detailed updates in recent years.

The tightening flow of information has coincided with wider crackdowns on migration across the region, including restrictions on humanitarian groups and reduced funding, limiting independent monitoring.

For families of missing migrants, the absence of verified information has compounded the humanitarian toll, leaving many without answers about the fate of their relatives.

The agreement emerged from the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, widely known as CSW, the UN’s principal global body dedicated to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Negotiations at the meeting, held at United Nations Headquarters in New York City, resulted in a set of “agreed conclusions” that explicitly reference “women in detention and in imprisonment,” marking a significant shift in how international policy frameworks address justice systems and women’s rights.

Advocates and human rights experts described the inclusion as “groundbreaking,” noting that the issue of female incarceration has historically been absent from global gender equality debates.

“This is really the first time in 70 years of this commission that the topic of women in prison is being taken seriously,” said Patsilí Toledo, a member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and a lecturer specialising in gender and criminal justice.

“It sends a very strong signal that the international community recognises the unique challenges faced by women deprived of their liberty,” she said.

Rising female incarceration:The recognition comes amid growing concern among researchers and activists about a global surge in the number of women behind bars.

According to international estimates, more than 740,000 women and girls are currently detained worldwide, representing roughly 7% of the global prison population. Since 2000, the number of incarcerated women has increased by nearly 60%, a rate far higher than the growth in male prison populations.

Experts warn that the true scale of female incarceration may be even larger due to inconsistent reporting and limited transparency in many countries.The issue also extends beyond the women themselves.

Approximately 19,000 children are believed to be living in prison facilities with their mothers around the world, highlighting the wider social consequences of female imprisonment.

Campaigners say the rise reflects deeper structural inequalities including poverty, discriminatory laws and gender-based violence that push many women into the criminal justice system.

“These are not just legal problems; they are social and economic issues,” said Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and former UN high commissioner for human rights.“For too long, women who have experienced criminalisation have been largely invisible in global conversations about gender equality,” Robinson said.Visibility is important but it must now be matched by action.”

The inclusion of incarcerated women in the CSW conclusions follows years of advocacy by civil society groups, legal experts and formerly imprisoned women.One of the leading voices in the campaign has been Women Beyond Walls, a global initiative that seeks to highlight the experiences of women affected by criminal justice systems and advocate for alternatives to imprisonment.

In 2023, the organisation coordinated an open letter urging international feminist forums and policymakers to stop overlooking women impacted by incarceration.

The letter argued that feminist movements had often focused on issues such as workplace equality, education and political participation while paying insufficient attention to women who encounter the justice system.

“Women in prison have long been invisible in the global women’s rights movement,” said Sabrina Mahtani, a human rights lawyer and founder of Women Beyond Walls.“This moment builds on years of advocacy by formerly incarcerated women and civil society organisations,” she said, adding that greater media attention had also helped raise awareness.

Addressing systemic barriersThe conclusions adopted at CSW outline a series of recommendations to governments, international institutions and civil society organisations.

They highlight the need to eliminate discriminatory laws, improve access to justice for women and address structural barriers that make women more vulnerable to incarceration.The document also calls for stronger measures to prevent violence against women and girls, which experts say often plays a significant role in cases involving female defendants.

Many incarcerated women have histories of abuse, coercion or economic vulnerability, factors that can influence both their alleged crimes and their treatment within legal systems.

Human rights advocates argue that many justice systems remain poorly equipped to deal with these realities.Earlier this year, a group of UN human rights experts warned that conditions for women deprived of their liberty remain deeply inadequate in many countries.

They said women prisoners frequently face overcrowding, limited healthcare, poor sanitation and a lack of gender-sensitive legal protections.The decision to explicitly include women prisoners in the CSW conclusions represents a broader shift in how international institutions approach gender equality and justice.

While previous agreements have addressed discrimination, violence and economic inequality, advocates say the intersection between criminal justice and women’s rights has often been overlooked.

By acknowledging the issue within the world’s leading forum on gender equality, campaigners hope governments will now be pushed to adopt policies that reduce female incarceration and improve prison conditions.

Robinson said governments must address the underlying causes that drive women into prison.“That means tackling poverty, discrimination and violence, and investing in community-based solutions that support women and their families rather than pushing them deeper into the criminal justice system,” she said.

Experts note that alternatives to incarceration such as community service, rehabilitation programmes and social support systems could significantly reduce prison populations while addressing the root causes of crime.

Despite broad support for the agreement, it was not adopted unanimously.Diplomats involved in the negotiations said United States voted against the final conclusions, though most UN member states backed the language on incarcerated women and broader justice reforms.

Still, advocates say the agreement represents a major milestone.By formally recognising the challenges faced by women in detention, they argue, the United Nations has opened the door for deeper reforms and increased scrutiny of justice systems worldwide.

For campaigners, the next challenge will be translating international commitments into concrete policy changes.Human rights organisations are calling on governments to review sentencing laws, improve prison conditions and expand alternatives to detention for non-violent offences.

They also stress the importance of data collection, noting that reliable information about women in prison remains limited in many regions.Without accurate data, they say, governments cannot fully understand the scale of the issue or develop effective policies.

For advocates who have spent years pushing for recognition of incarcerated women, the UN agreement marks an important moment but only the beginning of a longer process.“

The global community is finally acknowledging women deprived of liberty as part of the women’s rights agenda,” Mahtani said.“Now the real work begins.”

In a statement, the court’s prosecutors said their preliminary examination did not establish sufficient grounds to pursue a formal investigation related to the impact of the sanctions.

The prosecutors noted that a separate investigation remains ongoing into possible crimes against humanity committed in Venezuela since 2014.

That probe focuses on alleged abuses connected to the country’s political crisis and is independent of the examination into sanctions-related claims.

,The review considered allegations that U.S. sanctions imposed on Venezuela could have contributed to humanitarian suffering and therefore might constitute crimes against humanity under the court’s jurisdiction.

However, prosecutors said the available information did not meet the legal threshold required to proceed with an investigation.

The decision means the court will not pursue further action related to the sanctions themselves while continuing its broader inquiry into alleged crimes committed within Venezuela.

The U.N. refugee agency said the estimate was based on preliminary assessments of the number of households forced to leave their homes during the fighting. The conflict has triggered large-scale internal displacement across affected areas as residents move to safer locations within the country.

“This figure is likely to continue rising as hostilities persist, marking a worrying escalation in humanitarian needs,” UNHCR said in a statement.

The agency said the 3.2 million figure reflects early data gathered from humanitarian monitoring and may change as more information becomes available from affected regions.

UNHCR noted that displacement inside Iran has intensified since the outbreak of the conflict at the end of February, with families relocating from areas affected by military activity.

The agency warned that the growing number of displaced people is increasing pressure on humanitarian services and assistance networks.

UNHCR said the continuing hostilities could further expand the scale of internal displacement and humanitarian needs in the coming weeks as assessments continue.

Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told parliament that two additional members of the delegation 21-year-old striker Mohaddeseh Zolfi and support staff member Zahra Soltan Moshkehkar accepted the government’s offer of assistance on Tuesday evening after five players from the squad were granted asylum a day earlier.

Burke said, however, that one of the two individuals who initially chose to remain in Australia later reconsidered after speaking with teammates who had already departed and decided to return to Iran.

He did not specify which of the two had changed their decision.“In Australia, people are able to change their mind, people are able to travel. And so, we respect the context in which she has made that decision,” Burke said.

Concerns over the players’ safety escalated after Iranian state television described the team as “wartime traitors” for declining to sing the national anthem during a women’s Asian Cup match held in Australia earlier this month.

The episode triggered a series of asylum requests among members of the delegation while they were in Australia for the tournament.

Burke said Australian authorities moved the remaining players who sought protection to a secure location after the individual who reversed her decision contacted the Iranian embassy, inadvertently revealing where they were staying.

Rubio said in a statement that Washington had designated Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government as a “state sponsor of wrongful detention,” calling on Kabul to free all U.S. citizens currently held there, including Mahmood Habibi and Dennis Coyle.

Rubio accused the Taliban of using detention tactics to extract concessions. “The Taliban continues to use terrorist tactics, kidnapping individuals for ransom or to seek policy concessions,” he said, adding that the United States had concluded it was unsafe for Americans to travel to Afghanistan because of the risk of unjust detention.

Two sources familiar with the matter said Washington could restrict the use of U.S. passports for travel to Afghanistan if the Taliban authorities do not comply with U.S. demands.

Such restrictions currently apply only to travel to North Korea under U.S. regulations.

The United States is also seeking the return of the remains of Paul Overby, who was last seen near Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan in 2014, according to the sources.

Reuters was unable to reach Taliban officials for comment on the U.S. designation. The Taliban government has previously denied detaining Habibi, who formerly headed Afghanistan’s civil aviation authority.

The report that the United States was considering such a designation was first reported by CBS News earlier on Monday.

Rubio made a similar determination against Iran on Feb. 27 under an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump in September. He warned that Washington could also restrict travel to Iran over the detention of U.S. citizens, although no such restrictions have been imposed.

The United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran the day after the designation was announced.

Lukashenko’s office said the individuals had been serving sentences for “extremist” offences, a designation frequently applied by Belarusian authorities to political opponents and activists. In addition to the 15 pardoned on political charges, three other prisoners convicted of unspecified crimes were also released, according to the presidential statement.Releases tied to renewed diplomatic outreachThe pardons come as Washington and Minsk have cautiously reopened communication channels after years of strained relations. Trump re-established contact with Lukashenko last year, encouraging the Belarusian leader to free political detainees and take steps that could ease tensions with Western governments.Belarus has long faced criticism from Western countries over its human rights record and political repression. Lukashenko, who has ruled the country for decades, has also been subject to international sanctions imposed over domestic political crackdowns and his support for Russian invasion of Ukraine.The latest pardons are part of a series of prisoner releases that Belarusian authorities have undertaken since diplomatic engagement resumed.Previous prisoner release brokered by U.S. envoyIn December, Trump’s envoy John Coale negotiated the release of 123 detainees following discussions with Lukashenko’s administration. Among those freed were prominent political figures and activists whose imprisonment had drawn international attention.The group included Ales Bialiatski, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, along with opposition leaders Maria Kalesnikava and Viktar Babaryka, both widely regarded as key figures in Belarus’s opposition movement.

Their release was viewed by Western officials as a significant step in efforts to address concerns about political detentions in Belarus.Sanctions relief linked to diplomatic engagementFollowing the December prisoner releases, the United States moved to remove sanctions on Belarusian potash exports. Potash, a critical component used in fertilizer production, is one of Belarus’s most important export commodities and a significant source of foreign revenue.Washington’s decision was framed as part of a broader effort to encourage further steps by Minsk on political prisoners and human rights issues.Belarusian authorities have not indicated whether additional pardons or policy changes could follow the latest releases.

Lukashenko’s office said only that the individuals had been serving sentences for offences classified under the country’s “extremism” laws.The announcement signals continued, albeit limited, movement in diplomatic contacts between Belarus and the United States after years of near-total estrangement.