Afghan, Pakistani security forces trade fire at Torkham

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Afghan and Pakistani forces on Monday morning exchanged fire at Torkham crossing, a day after the Islamic Emirate closed the gate, but the there was no word on casualties on either side.

Karimullah Agha, head of the Torkham commissariat, told Pajhwok Afghan News the clash continued for two hours.

He said the Afghan side suffered no casualties in the crossfire and he had no information about casualties on the Pakistani side.

A laborer at the crossing on the condition of anonymity told Pajhwok that he found no work today due to the closure of the Torkham gate.

However, he said the clash lasted 10 minutes and both sides used light weapons.

But Quraishi Badloon, Information and Culture Department head for eastern Nangarhar province, denied any clash had taken place between security forces of the two countries.

He said Pakistani officials had promised to provide facilities to Afghan patients, their relatives and transit cargos, but they did not live up to their promises and in reaction  the Islamic Emirate closed the Torkham crossing.

He said  Torkham commissariat and other officials had begun talks with Pakistani officials about the issue.

A video clip circulating on social media shows someone shouting at people to go away as a clash is underway. In the clip, gunfire could be heard, but the time of the video is unknown.

The Information and Culture Department of Nangarhar said it was an old video clip and no fighting had occurred.

But some Pakistani media outlets, quoting security officials, also reported the clash.

Geo News, a private TV channel, said the fighting did not cause any casualties.

aw/ma/nh

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