Worsening Situation at the Afghanistan-Pakistan Border: Firefight Results in 4 Deaths
AFP, Kandahar, Afghanistan, October 6 - A Afghan official said today that a firefight broke out overnight at one of the main border checkpoints between Pakistan and Afghanistan, killing four civilians. The situation at the border has deteriorated again, following deadly clashes in October.
Abdul Karim Jahad, the district chief of Spin Boldak in southern Afghanistan, told AFP that another four people were injured.
The local hospital in the Pakistani border town of Chaman stated that three people were slightly injured during the conflict and have already been discharged.
Despite a ceasefire agreement reached after the clashes in October, the two countries have now exchanged fire again. Both sides accuse each other of launching an "unprovoked" attack at the Chaman-Spin Boldak border area.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesperson for the Taliban government in Afghanistan, wrote on the social media platform X late yesterday: "It is regrettable that Pakistan started attacking Afghanistan in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province tonight. The forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan were forced to respond."
Pakistan, however, claims that Afghanistan opened fire first.
Mosharraf Zaidi, a spokesperson for the Pakistani Prime Minister, said on X: "Not long ago, the Taliban regime in Afghanistan opened fire unprovoked in the border areas. ... Our armed forces have immediately made a suitable strong response."
Afghan border residents told AFP that the fighting began around 10:30 p.m. (18:00 GMT) and lasted for about two hours.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1850775419602953/
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