Afghan, Iranian border forces trade heavy weapons fire

KABUL (Pajhwok): Afghan and Iranian border security forces reportedly exchanged heavy weapons fire for several hours in Kang district of northwestern Nimroz province, an official said on Saturday.

Police spokesman Gul Mohammad Qurdrat told Pajhwok Afghan News that a clash broke out between security personnel of the two sides in border area of Makiki village this morning and lasted until 2:20pm.

He said the reason behind the clash was yet to be ascertained.

He added the Afghan forces used heavy weapons and the Iranian side also fired artillery that landed near the airport in Zaranj City. There was no report about casualties on either side, he added.

The clashes broke out around 10am Saturday, Iranian police said without reporting casualties, amid a water dispute between the two neighbours.

“Around 10am today, Taliban forces started shooting with all kinds of weapons at an Iranian police station from the Afghanistan side,” state news agency IRNA quoted the deputy head of the police force, Qassem Rezaee, as saying.

The official did not say if there were any casualties, while Tasnim news agency reported that “light and semi-light weapons and artillery were used in the clashes”.

Rezaee added that the Iranian forces responded “decisively” to the shooting which happened in Sistan-Baluchistan province.

He added that Iran’s police chief has ordered border guards to “bravely and resolutely defend the borders and not allow anyone to trespass or approach the borders”.

The border clash came as Iranian ambassador in Kabul called on acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who stressed resolution of all disputes through talks and direct engagement.

Muttaqi held a meeting with Iran’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Hassan Kazemi Qomi and his assistant in Kabul, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said.

Qomi briefed Muttaqi on the recent Doha meeting and said that Iranian delegation defended the current situation in Afghanistan during the meeting.

The Iranian envoy also stressed better border management and coordination and provided information about his government recent steps in this regard.

Muttaqi stressed resolution of all disputes through talks. Both sides also discussed matters related to the water dispute and other bilateral issues.

The Helmand River flows from the mountains of the central Afghan province of the same name for more than 1,000 kilometres into Lake Hamoun, which straddles the Afghanistan-Iran border.

Afghanistan has blamed climatic factors for reduced river volumes.

Iran maintains that the country’s share was legally defined in a 1973 agreement between the two sides and demands that the Taliban uphold the deal, and last week it said Tehran “reserves” the right to take action to settle the dispute.

ma/sa