Just when it seemed the fighting between Israel and Hamas was subsiding, a new conflict broke out – this time, between Afghanistan and Pakistan over the weekend.Deadly firing has taken place at several places along the 2,600 km long Durand Line between Afghan and Pakistani troops. Both sides claimed to have captured and destroyed border posts in one of the deadliest border clashes in recent years.
Fresh clashes broke out between Pakistani security forces and the Afghan Taliban along the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district on Tuesday night, according to the Associated Press.Pakistan’s state media blamed Afghan forces for the first unprovoked firing and said Pakistani troops returned fire and damaged several Afghan tanks and posts. Two Pakistani security officials confirmed the incident to AP.According to state broadcaster PTV News, “The Afghan Taliban and Fitnah al-Khawarij opened fire without provocation in Kurram. The Pakistani army responded with full force and intensity.”
Firing again in the north-western border area between the soldiers of Pakistan and Afghanistan
Pakistan’s state media in its report accused Afghan soldiers of firing “without provocation” and said that retaliatory action was taken after the firing. According to the news broadcast by ‘Pakistan TV’ and two security officials, the Pakistani army retaliated, causing damage to Afghan tanks and military posts.
Tahir Ahrar, a deputy police spokesman for Afghanistan’s Khost province, confirmed the clashes but did not provide any further details. This is the second incident of firing from both sides this week. According to Pakistani state media, the Afghan army and Pakistani Taliban jointly fired on a Pakistani post “without provocation”, prompting Pakistani troops to retaliate in Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Security officials said Pakistani forces also destroyed a large training center of the Pakistani Taliban. The Pakistani Army has not yet commented on this incident. On Saturday, there was firing between the two sides in several border areas, resulting in dozens of casualties on both sides. The army is on alert since then. Although the clashes stopped on Sunday following appeals by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, all borders between Pakistan and Afghanistan remain closed.
Long standing tension over TTP’s presence
Pakistan has earlier also admitted to carrying out cross-border attacks on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP targets. The TTP is a group closely related to, but separate from, the Afghan Taliban. Islamabad blames Kabul for allowing the group to operate freely from Afghan soil.
However, Kabul denies these allegations and insists that Afghan soil is not being used against any neighboring country.