Pakistan Shuts Key Border Crossings with Afghanistan Amid Cross-Border Clashes

Pakistan has closed multiple border crossings with Afghanistan following an exchange of gunfire between their forces over the weekend, officials from Pakistan confirmed on Sunday.

The confrontation began late Saturday when Afghan troops opened fire on Pakistani border posts. Afghan authorities described this action as a response to Pakistani airstrikes carried out inside Afghanistan earlier in the week.

In retaliation, Pakistani forces responded with gunfire and artillery strikes, reportedly destroying several Afghan border posts. Pakistani security officials said that the majority of the firing subsided by Sunday morning, but sporadic gunfire persisted in the Kurram region along the border.

As a precaution, Pakistan closed its two major border checkpoints, Torkham and Chaman, to control movement and avoid further clashes. Three smaller crossings—Kharlachi, Angoor Adda, and Ghulam Khan—were also shut down, according to local sources.

There has been no official statement from Kabul on the border closures. Earlier, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence stated that its military operations had ended by midnight on Sunday. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid reassured that there was no threat within Afghan territory, emphasizing stability in the region.

This latest escalation underscores the ongoing volatility in the border areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where security remains fragile.