Afghanistan Peace CampaignLocal residents reported that Pakistani forces occasionally fire on their homes, forcing them to abandon their properties.
Three people were killed and three others injured during a clash on Monday afternoon between Islamic Emirate forces and Pakistani border guards at the Torkham crossing.
The Ministry of Interior reported that the violence was sparked by an attack from Pakistani forces, which led to a retaliatory exchange of fire. In the confrontation, two Pakistani military posts were destroyed.
The conflict arose over the construction of a security post on Afghan soil.
Abdul Matin Qani, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior, commented on the clash, saying: “Afghan border forces were fired upon, forcing us to respond. As a result, two of their posts were destroyed. They targeted civilian areas, and as a result, a woman and two children were martyred.”
Asadullah, a border soldier, said about the clash: “We were building a post on our own land when Pakistani forces opened fire on us. We gave them a decisive response.”
Local residents reported that Pakistani forces occasionally fire on their homes, forcing them to abandon their properties.
Lal Mohammad, a local resident, said: “Shells came from the Pakistani side, and a woman and two children in one of our neighbor’s houses were martyred, with others injured.”
Khalid, another resident, said: “There is no one left in the village; just one or two people remain. When rockets come from Pakistan, they hit houses. Pakistan is targeting people’s homes.”
Following yesterday’s clash, the Torkham crossing has been closed to all movement, leaving hundreds of people, including patients, stranded on both sides of the border. In addition, hundreds of cargo trucks have also been halted.
Drivers and local residents called on both sides to resolve the issues through dialogue rather than armed conflict.
Khan Shinwari, a local resident, said: “Such clashes happen frequently here, displacing people. Yesterday, a woman and two children were martyred in this house.”
Taj Maluk, one of the drivers, said: “I am a truck driver, and I was carrying onions. This is the second night we’ve been stuck here, and the onions are spoiling.”
Torkham is one of the country’s key trade crossings, but due to clashes between Islamic Emirate forces and Pakistani border guards, it is occasionally closed, causing significant losses for travelers, drivers, and traders.