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ISLAMABAD: Heavy exchange of fire broke out between Pakistani and Afghansecurity forces at two separate points along the Pak-Afghan border inChaman and Waish areas of Balochistan on Friday, official and local sourcesconfirmed. The clashes mark a serious escalation in tensions that havepersisted intermittently since the fall of Kabul in 2021.
The first incident occurred at the Badini border point where both sidestraded small-arms fire for several hours. Sources said the exchange ceasedafter local commanders intervened, but casualties were reported on bothsides. Medical teams were rushed to the area and several wounded personnelwere shifted to nearby health facilities. The exact number of casualtiesremains unconfirmed as authorities have not issued an official statement.
Simultaneously, intense fighting erupted at the Friendship Gate, the mainborder crossing that connects Balochistan’s Chaman with Afghanistan’sKandahar province. Eyewitnesses reported the use of heavy machine guns,rocket-propelled grenades and mortar shells by both Pakistani border guardsand Afghan Taliban forces. The volume of fire forced hundreds of familiesliving in adjacent villages to abandon their homes and move to saferlocations deeper inside Pakistani territory.
Local administration officials said evacuation was underway in Bab-e-Dostitown and surrounding settlements as stray shells landed in residentialareas. Schools and markets in Chaman remained closed and traffic on theQuetta-Chaman highway was suspended for several hours. Internet and mobileservices in the border belt were partially disrupted as a precautionarymeasure.
The clashes come days after Afghan authorities accused Pakistan of allowingcross-border movement of militants, a charge Islamabad strongly denies.Pakistan maintains that the Durand Line is the recognised internationalborder and has completed fencing along most of the 2,670-kilometre frontierdespite repeated objections from Kabul.
Military authorities in Quetta have reinforced positions along the borderand placed additional troops on high alert. Diplomatic channels between thetwo countries remain active in an effort to restore calm, though no formaltalks have been announced.
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Residents expressed grave concern over the recurring violence, stating thatcivilian lives and cross-border trade continue to suffer whenever tensionsflare up. The Friendship Gate, a vital artery for bilateral trade andmovement of Afghan patients seeking medical treatment in Pakistan, hasremained closed since the fighting began.
Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1985123
Source:https://tribune.com.pk/story/2511347/heavy-exchange-of-fire-reported-at-pak-afghan-border-in-chaman
Tags: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Chaman, Balochistan, Taliban, Durand Line,Friendship Gate
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