Afghanistan says one member of its safety forces is killed and two injured in in a single day clashes at Torkham crossing.
At the very least one individual has been killed as Pakistani and Afghan safety forces have traded fireplace on the just lately closed important border crossing between the 2 international locations.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Inside Affairs confirmed on Monday that one member of its safety forces had been killed and two injured within the in a single day clashes on the Torkham crossing, an important transit level that Pakistan closed final month after disputing its neighbour’s building of a brand new border submit.
Two Pakistani safety officers talking on situation of anonymity advised the information company Reuters that members of their safety forces had been wounded within the clashes.
The battle erupted on the primary working day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan when meals imports from Pakistan normally peak in Afghanistan. The preventing stranded about 5,000 vans stuffed with important items on either side of the border in harsh winter situations.
The battle might exacerbate the challenges confronting the crisis-hit Afghan economic system at a time when thousands and thousands of individuals are susceptible to hunger and about half the inhabitants wants humanitarian help to outlive, in keeping with the United Nations.
Previously, each international locations have closed Torkham and the southwestern Chaman border crossing after lethal shootings and crossfire.
Pakistan mentioned it faces assaults from Afghan soil – a cost the Taliban authorities denies. In December, Pakistani army plane carried out strikes that killed dozens of individuals on Afghan territory.
Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesman for the Inside Ministry in Kabul, accused Pakistan on Monday of initiating the in a single day violence, after which Afghan safety forces went into “defensive mode” and responded after makes an attempt at dialogue failed.
A Pakistani official talking on situation of anonymity advised The Related Press that the Taliban opened fireplace unprovoked, concentrating on Pakistan’s border submit with computerized weapons. Pakistani personnel returned fireplace, the official mentioned.
To this point, the closure of Torkham has triggered a minimum of $15m in losses, in keeping with Yousaf Afridi, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries for Pakistan’s Khyber district, the place the crossing is situated.
Shakirullah Safi, the chief government of the Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce and Funding in Afghanistan, mentioned Afghan merchants had been shedding $500,000 a day due to the closure.
Commerce between the 2 international locations was value greater than $1.6bn in 2024, in keeping with Pakistan’s Ministry of International Affairs.
