Pak, Afghan forces trade fire along Chaman border: Report

Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged heavy fire at the Chaman border late Friday, with both sides blaming each other for the clash. Three people were injured, and no official statements have been released amid rising tensions over cross-border militancy.

Islamabad: A heavy exchange of fire between Pakistani and Afghan forces was reported from the key Chaman border, according to a media report on Saturday. Injuries were reported from the district hospital, but no fatalities occurred, the Dawn newspaper reported.

Officials from both sides accused each other of instigating the flare-up late on Friday night across the border in the Balochistan province.

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While Pakistani officials said that Afghan forces had fired mortar shells on the Badani area, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed it was Pakistan that launched an attack on Spin Boldak, alleging that their forces were responding.

Pakistan’s official sources told Dawn that Pakistani forces retaliated against the Afghan aggression and returned fire. There were also reports of fighting on the Chaman-Kandahar highway, but these could not be immediately verified.

A senior official in Quetta confirmed on condition of anonymity that the exchange of fire started around 10 pm and continued until late at night.

The medical superintendent of Chaman district hospital said that three injured, including a woman, were brought to the medical facility.

There was neither any official word from the Inter-Services Public Relations — Pakistan Army’s media wing — nor from the Foreign Office. The Chaman border crossing, also known as Friendship Gate, connects Balochistan province to Afghanistan’s Kandahar.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated amidst regular allegations by Pakistan regarding the failure of the Afghan regime to deny safe havens to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan terrorists.

The two countries had agreed on a ceasefire following tensions last month, but the Foreign Office said last month that technically there was no truce as it was contingent on the Afghan Taliban stopping terrorist attacks in Pakistan, which they had failed to do.