Torkham, one of the main border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan has been closed for a third consecutive day, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on both sides.
The Taliban closed the crossing on Sunday and engaged in a firefight with Pakistani border forces on Monday, which killed one of its members.
Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told Reuters on Tuesday that “The closure of the border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been causing losses to traders of the two countries. There are long queues of heavy trucks stranded on both sides of the border.”
Neither side has provided clear information about the reasons for the closure of the crossing and the clashes that occurred, though a Taliban official has accused Pakistan of failing to fulfill its commitments.
The two sides have not provided clarity on the reasons behind the closure of the crossing and the clashes, except a Taliban official accusing Pakistan of not living up to its commitment.