The border crossing at Spin Boldak in Afghanistan along the adjacent Pakistani city of Chaman is vital as there is heavy trade between the two countries from here.
File Photo: A man passes a street sign while pulling supplies to the Pakistani-Afghan border crossing in Chaman. (Photo credit: Reuters)
Pakistan has its main border crossing with Afghanistan in Balochistan Province, according to reports from Taliban fighters are taking control of a key Spin Boldak border crossing point in Afghanistan, a senior official said on Wednesday.
Chaman’s Deputy Commissioner Arif Kakar confirmed to the media that the Friendship Gate crossing on the Chaman-Afghanistan border has been closed.
“Security is on high alert,” he said, but did not comment on reports of Taliban fighters taking control of the Spin Boldak crossing.
Spin Boldak is a strategic crossing point along with the adjacent Pakistani city of Chaman, and from this point there is heavy trade between the two countries.
The Taliban have won in recent weeks by occupying a number of border crossings and dry ports.
Social media platforms showed pictures of Taliban fighters near the Spin Boldak border crossing, although Afghan government officials insisted they were still in control of the area.
Social media showed reports that the Taliban had taken control the important road between (Spin) Boldak and Chaman and Kandahar customs with the mujahideen to reassure traders and residents in the area that their “safety” is guaranteed.
The Pakistani government insists that it will not take sides in Afghanistan if foreign troops withdraw from the war-torn country.
The Taliban fighters have captured dozen of districts in Afghanistan in the past few weeks and are now believed to control about a third of the country, while US and Western troops are withdrawn from Afghanistan.
Under an agreement with the Taliban, the US and its NATO allies agreed to withdraw all troops in return for the militants’ pledge to prevent extremist groups from operating in areas they control.
US President Joe Biden announced last week that the US military mission in Afghanistan, which lasted almost 20 years, would end on August 31st.
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