In the latest development in the ongoing skirmish between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Taliban has claimed to have captured the Torkham border. Torkham is an important border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and it was closed by Islamabad a few weeks ago. Since then, clashes have been going on between the Taliban and the Pakistani army, which intensified on Monday. The Taliban claimed that because of heavy firing and casualties, the Pakistani army fled from the Torkham border post.
Pakistan And Taliban Were Firing At Each Other
As per top Taliban sources, tensions have escalated in Torkham recently because of Pakistan. Two days ago, firing broke out between Pakistani and Afghan forces at the crossing that had been closed for over a week due to a dispute over the construction of a new border post by Afghanistan. At first, both sides attacked each other with light weapons, but later heavy weapons were used, CNN News18 reported, quoting top Taliban sources.
Why Did Pakistan Close The Border Crossing
The Taliban have reportedly built new structures such as border posts and bunkers, which Pakistan has termed as a violation of previous agreements.
Notably, Islamabad considers the area as its own. After this, the Pakistani army closed the crossing.
Trade operations have been halted at the Torkham border due to the standoff, and export vehicles that were at the Zero Point have been turned around.
What Did The Taliban Say?
The Taliban stated that Pakistan is incorrectly blaming them for the dispatch of terrorists. They added that the economic repercussions of the border closure are more detrimental to Pakistan, which is incurring significant daily losses. There are frequent exchanges of gunfire between the military forces of Pakistan and Afghanistan, typically stemming from disputes regarding construction activities near the Durand Line. This line, which spans 2,400 ms (1,500 miles), was established by the British in 1896 and is contested by Kabul.
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