Ever wondered what happens when tensions flare along a 2,600-km border? This weekend, Pakistan shut down all major crossings with the Afghanistan region after an intense exchange of fire. 🔥
On Saturday night, Afghan troops opened fire on Pakistani border posts, claiming they were striking back at airstrikes earlier in the week. Pakistan fired back with guns and artillery, destroying several Afghan positions, security officials said.
By Sunday morning, most of the firefight had died down—though residents of Pakistan’s Kurram area reported occasional shots still popping off.
Officials confirmed that Pakistan’s two main crossings—Torkham and Chaman—were closed, along with smaller gates at Kharlachi, Angoor Adda, and Ghulam Khan. 😶🌫️ Travelers and traders in the region have been left in limbo, with no word yet on when normal passage will resume.
Meanwhile, Kabul’s ministry of defense remained silent on the border shutdown. The Taliban administration’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, assured that there’s "no kind of threat in any part of Afghanistan’s territory."
Underlying these clashes is a long‐standing standoff: Islamabad accuses the Taliban administration of harboring militants who target Pakistan, while Kabul denies these claims. Earlier this week, Pakistan launched an airstrike in Kabul to hit the leader of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group aiming to topple the Islamabad government. It’s still unclear if that strike succeeded.
The TTP, with close ties to the Afghan Taliban, has been behind a series of attacks on Pakistani soil and seeks to replace the government with a strict Islamic system. As the region braces for further developments, locals hope both sides will dial down the rhetoric—and reopen the gates soon. 🌍✨
Reference(s):
Pakistan closes border with Afghanistan following exchanges of fire
cgtn.com
