Local sources told Amu that heavy clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards, which began on Monday morning, have once again intensified.
According to sources, at least three Pakistani soldiers have been injured, while three Taliban members have been killed. Earlier reports from the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior confirmed that one of their border forces was killed and two others were wounded in a separate exchange of fire on Sunday night.
Both sides have reportedly used heavy weaponry, including artillery, with explosions heard from a distance.
The Torkham border crossing, a key trade and travel route between Afghanistan and Pakistan, remains closed. The shutdown, which has now lasted more than 10 days, has left thousands of trucks carrying essential goods stranded, raising economic concerns in both countries. Meanwhile, reports indicate that local residents, fearing further clashes, have fled to safer areas.
Tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border have flared repeatedly in recent months, with both sides accusing each other of initiating violence. The latest clashes come amid a dispute over the construction of a border post at Torkham, which has led to prolonged closures and disruptions in trade.
Economic losses from the border shutdown have been significant. Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, president of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, described the situation as “very serious,” warning that it has severely impacted trade between the two nations. Yousaf Afridi, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Pakistan’s Khyber region, estimated losses of at least $15 million due to the closure.
Afghanistan, which has faced a deepening economic crisis since the Taliban took power in 2021, is particularly vulnerable to disruptions in trade. The blockade of the Torkham crossing has further strained the country’s fragile economy, which is already struggling under the weight of reduced international aid and sanctions.
Earlier, the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior claimed that the clashes had ended after 12 hours, but it remains unclear when the border crossing will reopen.
