Pakistani and Afghan security forces clashed on Monday at the recently shuttered main border crossing between the two countries, killing at least one combatant and injuring several, officials said.
The conflict erupted on the first working day of the holy Islamic month of Ramadan, when food imports from Pakistan usually peak in Afghanistan, which is facing a humanitarian and hunger crisis. A 10-day-old closure of the Torkham border point has stranded thousands of trucks filled with essential goods.
The Taliban-run Afghan Interior Ministry said on Monday the latest firing took place overnight and that one Taliban fighter had been killed and two injured. Two Pakistani security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that members of the Pakistani security forces had been wounded.
Pakistan's foreign office did not respond to a request for comment.
The neighbouring countries have a strained relationship, with Pakistan saying that several Islamist militant attacks that have occurred there have been launched from Afghan soil - a charge the Taliban deny. Pakistani military aircraft carried out strikes that killed dozens on Afghan territory in December.
Abdul Mateen Qaniee, the Afghan interior ministry spokesperson, said that this week's clashes had been resolved but did not comment on whether the border crossing would now reopen. It has been shut since February 21.
The latest closure, which chamber of commerce officials said was sparked by a dispute over the construction of a border-area outpost, has left 5,000 trucks stranded and traders alarmed at rising losses.
"This is a very serious issue and is badly affecting trade between the two countries," said Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce.
The Torkham crossing is the main transit artery for travellers and goods between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan. Trade between the two countries was worth over $1.6 billion in 2024, according to Pakistan's foreign office.
Yousaf Afridi, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries for Pakistan's Khyber district where the Torkham crossing is located, said the closure had caused at least $15 million in losses.
It could exacerbate the challenges confronting the Afghan economy, which has teetered near crisis since the Taliban took over in 2021, leading to a cut in development aid and sanctions affecting the banking sector that has hampered businesses.
Millions of Afghans are at risk of hunger and around half the population needs humanitarian assistance to survive, according to the United Nations.
Donald Trump has said the U.S. will resume bombing Iran if Tehran doesn't "behave," at the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Earlier, the U.S. ...
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that a preliminary agreement with Iran remains fragile, saying Washington could resume military action if Tehra...
China has sanctioned Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his immediate family, banning them from entering mainland China, Hong Kong ...
Documentary filmmaker Mikael Silkeberg has said that making a film exploring connections between Scandinavia and Azerbaijan helped him better understa...
Three flags, one training ground and a clear message: defence cooperation in the South Caucasus remains firmly on track. Elite special operations unit...
Pakistan will facilitate the return of 30 Iranian nationals as part of what officials described as a humanitarian effort carried out in coordination with international partners.
Pakistan's heavy reliance on imported energy was laid bare by the U.S.-Iran conflict, which disrupted regional supplies, drove up costs and exposed vulnerabilities in the country's energy security. However, a proposed peace agreement now offers hope for economic relief.
Pakistan's political leadership on Monday welcomed a breakthrough agreement between the U.S. and Iran aimed at ending more than three months of conflict, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif describing it as a major diplomatic success and a victory for peace.
The U.S. and Iran say they have reached a deal to end their conflict, with an immediate ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade. Talks will continue over the next 60 days to finalise the agreement
Donald Trump has said the U.S. will resume bombing Iran if Tehran doesn't "behave," at the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Earlier, the U.S. President criticised Israel for its tactics against Hezbollah, saying it was unnecessary to bomb entire apartment buildings to tackle militants.
A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's Sulawesi island early Tuesday, killing at least one person and injuring four, according to emergency authorities.
U.S. President Donald Trump said a preliminary agreement to end the war in the Gulf has been signed by the U.S. and Iran, though details have yet to be made public and both countries said a permanent truce is yet to be negotiated.
Australia's weather bureau warned on Tuesday that an El Niño weather pattern has formed in the tropical Pacific and could intensify in the second half of 2026, becoming one of the strongest events recorded in seven decades.
Ukraine has said it struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Moscow region, marking one of the deepest reported attacks into Russian territory in recent months.
Documentary filmmaker Mikael Silkeberg has said that making a film exploring connections between Scandinavia and Azerbaijan helped him better understand his own mixed Nordic identity.
Three flags, one training ground and a clear message: defence cooperation in the South Caucasus remains firmly on track. Elite special operations units from Georgia, Türkiye and Azerbaijan have gathered in Mukhrovani for the latest edition of the Caucasian Eagle military exercise.
Pakistan will facilitate the return of 30 Iranian nationals as part of what officials described as a humanitarian effort carried out in coordination with international partners.
Iran says it is prepared for all scenarios as Tehran and Washington seek to avoid renewed tensions ahead of the planned signing of a memorandum of understanding on a peace deal in Switzerland on Friday.
More than 8,300 participants from 100 countries have gathered in Uzbekistan's capital for the fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF-2026), bringing together investors, policymakers and business leaders from around the world.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment