3 yıl önce

Kabul says attack on Pakistan border repelled as Taliban claims capture

The Taliban is reported to have flown their flag on the Spin Boldak-Chaman border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan, reportedly sealed by Pakistani authorities in view of the developments taking place on the Afghan side of the Durand Line.

Reuters

A convoy of Afghan Special Forces is seen during the rescue mission of a policeman besieged at a check post surrounded by Taliban, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, July 13, 2021.

Afghan authorities say Taliban’s claims of controlling a key border crossing with Pakistan are untrue and that an attack on Spin Boldak post had been repelled amid unconfirmed contradictory reports of the insurgents flying their flag on the post.

“The terrorist Taliban had some movements near the border area ... The security forces have repelled the attack,” Interior Ministry spokesperson Tareq Arian told AFP on Wednesday, minutes after the insurgents claimed they had captured the strategic crossing in Wesh that allows entry into Pakistan's Chaman city.

“ANDSF says reports of Taliban taking the border are untrue,” a senior government official told TRT World.

The Taliban as well as Pakistani security sources said the group had taken control of the crossing.

"The Taliban has taken control of the Afghan side of the Chaman-Spin Boldak border crossing," the Pakistani security source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"They have raised their flag and removed the Afghan flag," the source said, the comments matching widely distributed videos on social media of the insurgents celebrating their alleged victory.

TRTWorld

Map of key trade and transit points attacked by Taliban insurgents, based on developments as of July 14, 2021.

The unverified videos circulating on social media from what appears to be both sides of the Chaman-Spin Boldak crossing show what appeared to be the Taliban flag being hoisted on Afghan territory instead of the country's flag.

Para-military forces of Pakistan and Afghan Taliban are exchanging views on gate of Spin Boldak-Chaman crossing onf Af-Pak border. pic.twitter.com/22iOCdzEtO
— Muhammad Ibrahim Qazi (@miqazi) July 14, 2021

Other videos show militants standing across the gate in the presence of Pakistani border guards.

#Taliban have taken control of Spin Boldak transit point opposite #Chaman, Pakistan.#Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/BnjeygL02b
— Talha Hashmi (@THHehehe) July 14, 2021

Meanwhile the deputy commissioner of Pakistan's Chaman region told Arab News that the border crossing "has been completely sealed for travelling and trade" after Taliban insurgents took control of the Afghan side of Pak-Afghan friendship gate.

Pakistani border security and Taliban forces meet at the Chaman border pic.twitter.com/Err7hbvPHC
— Aerospace & OSINT Board PSF (@AOBPAK) July 14, 2021

Videos circulating on social media show Taliban insurgents refusing to let Afghan civilians cross into Pakistan from the border post.

Provinces colored red are those where war is in full swing with Afghan armed forces on the back foot. They’re losing ground despite sometimes making advances and gaining some of it back. pic.twitter.com/Jp2RFgbbXL
— Iftikhar Firdous (@IftikharFirdous) July 12, 2021

The Taliban have launched a widespread offensive across the countryside since early May when US-led foreign forces began their final withdrawal of troops.

Since then, the insurgents have captured at least three other crossings along the borders with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Iran.