Kabul, Mar 3 (NVI) On the first working day of Holy Ramzan, the border forces of Afghanistan and Pakistan engaged in heavy cross-border firing and shelling in Torkham area, leaving at least 3 Pakistani soldiers and a Taliban fighter dead and several injured on the both sides.
According to sources, the clashes started late last night after Afghan soldiers wanted to set up a post near the Torkham border and the Pakistani side opposed it.
Initially, there was a verbal spat and soon bullets and rockets started flying from both sides.
The exchange of firing and shelling continued till 11 AM (Afghan time) today, the sources said.
At least 3 Pakistani soldiers were reportedly killed and several injured in the cross-firing, according to the sources.
One Taliban border guard was also killed and some others injured.
The armed clashes came after 10 days of closure of the Torkham border, the main transit point between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The closure of the border, amidst increasing diplomatic and military tensions between the two neighbours, has left stranded thousands of goods-laden trucks on both sides of the frontier.
The bilateral trade between the two countries was to the tune of around $1.6 billion in the last calendar year. (NVI)
