KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Taliban and Pakistani border forces exchanged fire overnight at the Torkham crossing, a critical trade and transit point that has remained closed for 11 days due to an ongoing dispute.
The clash erupted amid tensions over Afghanistan’s construction of a new border post, which Pakistan opposes.
The Taliban Interior Ministry in Kabul reported that one Taliban border guard was killed and another wounded in the skirmish.
A Pakistani official told AP that Taliban forces opened fire, prompting Pakistani personnel to retaliate. However, Taliban authorities dismissed the accusation.
The prolonged closure has left thousands of trucks stranded on both sides, disrupting trade and travel. Afghan traders are suffering significant financial losses, with Shakirullah Safi, head of the Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce and Investment, estimating daily losses at $500,000. He warned that perishable goods were at risk and urged a swift resolution.
Torkham, along with the Chaman crossing in southwestern Pakistan, has frequently been a flashpoint for deadly cross-border incidents. The closure has further strained ties between the Taliban and Islamabad.
No official statements have been issued regarding efforts to reopen the crossing.
