Firing at Torkham border left nine Pakistani civilians injured

Afghan Security forces resorted to unprovoked firing on the Pakistani side at Torkham Gate, says ISPR

ISLAMABAD: Tension at Torkham border between Pakistan and Afghan forces has intensified. The firing from Afghan forces is taking place with short pauses along with shelling.

According to Express News, Pakistani security forces are retaliating to the attack with equal force. The attack from Afghan forces has left nine Pakistani civilian injured.

After the attack Pakistan has imposed a curfew in the area of Landi Kotal. All the vehicles crossing the border have been stopped near Takhta Baig check post.

Earlier on Sunday night Afghan forces opened fire at the Torkham border crossing, injuring a soldier, Pakistan Army said.

According to the military's media wing, Afghan forces began firing as Pakistan started constructing a gate on their side of the border, as a “necessity to check unwanted and illegal movement of terrorists through Torkham.”

“At about 21:20 hours tonight, Afghan Security forces resorted to unprovoked firing on Pakistani side at Torkham Gate,” the ISPR said on Sunday.

https://twitter.com/ISPR_Official/status/742061784690003969

A soldier was injured due to Afghan firing, the statement said, adding that the Pakistani security forces responded to the Afghan firing effectively.

Torkham is the most frequent crossing point at Pak-Afghan border,  and most of the terrorists have been found using this gate for entry, the statement said.



Meanwhile, spokesperson for Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province, Attaullah Khogyani, confirmed the exchange of fire but did not provide further details.

The incident came days after Pakistan introduced a new mechanism along the border, which requires every Afghan to carry travel documents to enter Pakistan.

Earlier, thousands of Afghans living near the border would cross into Pakistan without passports and visas.

Pakistan said the new system was put in place to curb cross-border movement of militants who would take advantage of the loose border monitoring system.