Two more injured as tensions flare at the Torkham border

LANDIKOTAL: Afghan forces continued indiscriminate firing at the Torkham Border on Wednesday as tension between the two countries escalated.

Two Pakistani civilians were injured in the firing. Trade at the border was suspended.

Meanwhile, John Kirby, assistant secretary for public affairs and department spokesperson for the United States, in a press briefing in Washington on Wednesday said that the US will look into the issue. He added that the US will contact both Afghan and Pakistan officials, as they do not want matters to deteriorate.

On Tuesday as Pakistan buried an army major Ali Jawad Changezi who lost his life to the firing at Torkham, Afghan forces continued attacking the Pakistan side of the border.

Several mortar shells fired from the Afghan side of the Torkham border hit Pakistani security pickets. As a result, two security personnel of the Frontier Corps sustained injuries.

The Afghan forces also targeted the Pakistan's Customs House offices with mortar shells but no human casualty was reported as the offices had been closed down after Afghan forces fired at the installations three days ago.

Several other private vehicles parked in the compound were also damaged in the unprovoked firing by the Afghan border security forces in the last two days. The Pakistan Army also moved tanks from Peshawar and deployed them at various points near the Torkham border, official sources said. They added that Pakistan Army soldiers had taken control of the Torkham border.

The overall situation at Torkham border and in Landikotal remained tense. The Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps personnel could be seen patrolling in Torkham town.

Tension flared up between Kabul and Islamabad when Afghan forces targeted Pakistani installations to prevent its border officials from installing a gate at the Torkham border crossing. The gate had been removed for the construction of Torkham-Jalalabad road.

Meanwhile, curfew remained enforced on the second day at the Torkham border bazaar and its surrounding areas, including Landikotal. The authorities relaxed curfew in Landikotal bazaar to allow the local people to buy food.

Meanwhile, in their separate condolence messages President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have expressed sympathies with the bereaved family of Major Ali Jawad Shaheed.