Afghan and Pakistani border forces engaged in yet another firefight near the Chaman border on Thursday, resulting in the critical route being closed for the third time in a month.
According to Pakistani media sources, at least one civilian was killed and 20 others injured, including women and children.
According to hospital authorities, four civilians are in critical condition and were sent to Quetta for treatment.
Local authorities in Pakistan said that attempts to repair a fence near the Sheikh Lal Muhammad area that broke during a clash earlier this week sparked the confrontation. The crossing was then closed on Thursday afternoon.
Balochistan’s minister for home affairs, Mir Ziaullah Langove, said that while Pakistan is committed to a “friendly policy,” its army knows how to respond to such threats.
“Do not think of our desire for peace as a weakness,” he warned.
Full blown firefight between Taliban & Pakistan reported from Chaman border. Emergency declared in hospitals around the area by Pakistan. Last two days Taliban has been aggressively firing mortars and machine guns against Pak troops. Many casualties. pic.twitter.com/JwrxFD1qWe
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) December 15, 2022
The Pakistani Inter-Services Public Relations condemned the incident as an “uncalled-for aggression.” It noted that Pakistani forces had delivered a “befitting” and “measured response” to the aggression from the Afghan side.
Addressing a weekly media briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch revealed that the Taliban has given the Pakistani government “certain assurances” during ongoing discussions. She noted that authorities are closely following developments in Afghanistan, mainly to ensure the safety and security of its diplomats and missions.
In this regard, Baloch noted that Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar brought up these issues during her “very successful” recent visit to Kabul, when she met with the Taliban.
Following the latest clash, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, too, voiced his support for dialogue, saying “negative measures and looking for excuses for war are not in the interest of either side.”
That being said, Afghan defence ministry spokesperson Enayatullah Khawarazmi blamed Pakistan for instigating the skirmish by opening fire.
“Negative actions and creating excuses for war will benefit no one,” he declared.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan considers the dialogue as a reasonable way to solve any problem; negative actions and making excuses for war are not in the interest of any of the parties.
— د ملي دفاع وزارت - وزارت دفاع ملی (@MoDAfghanistan2) December 15, 2022
Chaman is situated in southwestern Pakistan and is one of the busiest crossings for trade and pedestrian movement.
This is the third such clash in the past month. On Sunday, nine people were killed and 16 others were injured in a similar cross-firing.
Another clash in November, during which a Pakistani border official was killed, resulted in the border being shut for eight days. It caused shortages of tomatoes, onions, and other fresh produce in Balochistan, as trucks were abandoned and blocked from crossing to the other side.
Pakistan remains concerned about the Taliban’s commitment to security around bordering areas. It has repeatedly urged the group to take action against terror groups using Afghan soil to orchestrate attacks against Pakistan. To this end, Pakistani Chargé d’Affaires Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani has not been sent back to the embassy in Kabul.
Apart from border concerns, Pakistan is also concerned about the safety of its diplomatic personnel in Afghanistan. A few weeks ago, ISIS launched an assassination attempt on the Pakistani ambassador. A Pakistani security guard was injured during the attack on the embassy.
In other related developments, United States Central Command commander General Michael Kurilla led a delegation and visited the Pakistani army headquarters in Rawalpindi. He also visited the border with Afghanistan and was “apprised on counterterrorism and border management mechanisms in place.”