RASC News Agency: Abdul Matin Qane, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Interior Ministry, has confirmed the death of a Taliban fighter in a skirmish with Pakistani border guards. Speaking on Monday, March 3, Qane stated that the overnight exchange of gunfire resulted in one Taliban member being killed and two others wounded. Meanwhile, Pakistani authorities have reported that several of their security personnel sustained injuries during the confrontation. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident. According to the Taliban, the clash was instigated by Pakistani border forces at approximately 11 p.m. and raged on for 12 hours. The Torkham border crossing a vital trade and transit artery between Pakistan and Afghanistan has remained closed since February 22 due to a dispute over the construction of a border outpost.
The prolonged closure has stranded more than 5,000 trucks carrying essential commodities, causing significant disruptions to cross-border trade. While Taliban officials have confirmed the cessation of hostilities, they have not provided any indication as to when the border crossing might reopen. The shutdown has inflicted severe economic losses on both nations. Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, president of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, has described the situation as “highly alarming,” warning of its detrimental impact on bilateral trade.
Yousaf Afridi, president of the Khyber Chamber of Commerce and Industry, estimated that the ongoing closure of Torkham has already incurred at least $15 million in economic losses. The blockade poses an even graver challenge for Afghanistan, whose economy has remained in a state of crisis since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. The disruption of vital supply chains threatens to exacerbate the country’s already fragile economic landscape, which has been severely strained by international sanctions and diminishing foreign aid.
