Pakistani and Afghan forces clash at vital border crossing

Afghanistan says 1 subordinate of its information forces is killed and 2 injured successful overnight clashes astatine Torkham crossing.

At slightest 1 idiosyncratic has been killed arsenic Pakistani and Afghan information forces person traded occurrence astatine the precocious closed main borderline crossing betwixt the 2 countries.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior Affairs confirmed connected Monday that 1 subordinate of its information forces had been killed and 2 injured successful the overnight clashes astatine the Torkham crossing, a captious transit constituent that Pakistan closed past period aft disputing its neighbour’s operation of a caller borderline post.

Two Pakistani information officials speaking connected information of anonymity told the quality bureau Reuters that members of their information forces had been wounded successful the clashes.

The struggle erupted connected the archetypal moving time of the Islamic beatified period of Ramadan erstwhile nutrient imports from Pakistan usually highest successful Afghanistan. The warring stranded astir 5,000 trucks filled with indispensable goods connected some sides of the borderline successful harsh wintertime conditions.

The struggle could exacerbate the challenges confronting the crisis-hit Afghan system astatine a clip erstwhile millions of radical are astatine hazard of hunger and astir fractional the colonisation needs humanitarian assistance to survive, according to the United Nations.

In the past, some countries person closed Torkham and the southwestern Chaman borderline crossing aft deadly shootings and crossfire.

Pakistan said it faces attacks from Afghan ungraded – a complaint the Taliban authorities denies. In December, Pakistani subject craft carried retired strikes that killed dozens of radical connected Afghan territory.

Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the Interior Ministry successful Kabul, accused Pakistan connected Monday of initiating the overnight violence, aft which Afghan information forces went into “defensive mode” and responded aft attempts astatine dialog failed.

A Pakistani authoritative speaking connected information of anonymity told The Associated Press that the Taliban opened occurrence unprovoked, targeting Pakistan’s borderline station with automatic weapons. Pakistani unit returned fire, the authoritative said.

So far, the closure of Torkham has caused astatine slightest $15m successful losses, according to Yousaf Afridi, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries for Pakistan’s Khyber district, wherever the crossing is located.

Shakirullah Safi, the main enforcement of the Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce and Investment successful Afghanistan, said Afghan traders were losing $500,000 a time due to the fact that of the closure.

Trade betwixt the 2 countries was worthy much than $1.6bn successful 2024, according to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Source

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies