Pakistan shut its border crossings with Afghanistan on Sunday after intense overnight clashes between the two countries’ forces, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned what he called “provocations” from across the frontier and warned of a “strong and effective response.”
“There will be no compromise on Pakistan’s defence, and every provocation will be met with a strong and effective response,” Sharif said in a statement, accusing the interim Taliban administration of allowing “terrorist elements” to use Afghan soil against Pakistan.
The clashes erupted late Saturday when Afghan troops opened fire on Pakistani border posts, according to Islamabad. Taliban said their action was in retaliation for Pakistani air strikes earlier in the week, which reportedly targeted the leader of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Kabul.
“Several Afghan border posts destroyed”
Pakistani security officials said they responded with gun and artillery fire, destroying several Afghan border posts.
The exchange subsided by Sunday morning, though intermittent gunfire was still reported in parts of Pakistan’s Kurram district.
Pakistan subsequently closed its two main border crossings with Afghanistan, at Torkham and Chaman, along with at least three smaller ones at Kharlachi, Angoor Adda, and Ghulam Khan, officials confirmed.
The Taliban’s Defence Ministry said its “operation” had concluded by midnight and that “there is no kind of threat in any part of Afghanistan’s territory,” according to spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
Tensions between the neighbours have escalated in recent months as Islamabad accuses Afghanistan's interim Taliban authorities of sheltering militants from the TTP, which has waged a years-long insurgency against Pakistan. Kabul denies the accusation.
