Saira Imran Heavy clashes broke out between Pakistani forces and Afghan Taliban at the Chaman border in Balochistan. Both sides used heavy weapons during the fighting.
The incident happened late Tuesday night, just after another exchange of fire between Pakistani forces and Afghan Taliban in Kurram District, near the Afghanistan border.
Chaman officials confirmed that the clashes injured at least five Pakistani civilians. Rescue teams took them to Chaman Civil Hospital, while doctors shifted two critically wounded victims to Quetta for further treatment.
The Pakistani government and army have not issued any statement yet. However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that Pakistani shelling killed civilians inside Afghanistan.
Read Also: Netanyahu Defends Qatar Strike, Mentions Pakistan in Justification
According to reports, the clashes began around 2 a.m. between Tuesday and Wednesday, about 120 kilometers from Quetta. Locals first heard heavy firing and explosions near Sui Karez. The violence then spread to Kali Lukman, Mazal Gali, and around Bab-e-Dosti, lasting several hours.
Security sources confirmed that forces used both small arms and artillery. Residents reported intense shelling between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m., creating panic among locals. Many families from nearby villages, including Kali Lukman and Kali Jahangir, moved to safer places.
The shelling also damaged Bab-e-Dosti, the main gate that symbolizes friendship between Pakistan and Afghanistan.Chaman police confirmed that Taliban fire hit part of the gate.
The Chaman crossing point is one of the two main border gates along the 2,600 km Pakistan-Afghanistan border, connecting Chaman with Spin Boldak in Kandahar. The Bab-e-Dosti gate, built in 2003, has long stood as a symbol of peace and trade between the two countries.
Before 2023, around 20,000 to 25,000 people crossed this border daily for trade, work, family visits, and medical treatment. However, after Pakistan made passports and visas mandatory in October 2023, the number dropped to about 4,000 to 5,000.
During the recent fighting, mortar shells from the Afghan side landed in residential areas, injuring children among others. Authorities postponed the ongoing polio campaign and announced the closure of all public and private schools in the district.
Videos on social media showed heavy firing, explosions, and smoke rising near Bab-e-Dosti. In some clips, people in Afghanistan’s Spin Boldak area moved vehicles and goods from markets to safer locations.
Clashes had also occurred last weekend, after which the Chaman border remained closed. Authorities allowed only Afghan refugees trapped in Pakistan to return. For the past three days, they have suspended trade and pedestrian movement between both countries.
Due to the Pakistan Afghanistan border clashes, thousands of people and hundreds of cargo vehicles are stuck on both sides. The situation remains tense, and authorities fear more violence if peace efforts fail.
