ISLAMABAD – Under the cover of darkness late Friday night, tense calm along Chaman border was shattered as Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged heavy fire in midnight gun-fire. The confrontation showsa pattern of provocations from Afghan forces that Pakistan has long condemned.
The recent fighting comes as Afghan troops launched the first strike, bombarding the Badani area with mortar shells. But Taliban’s top spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, fired back at those claims, asserting Pakistani forces struck first near Spin Boldak and that Afghanistan was merely defending itself.
Eyewitnesses and military sources report that Pakistani forces retaliated almost immediately, turning border into a battlefield. There were even unconfirmed claims of skirmishes along the Chaman–Kandahar highway, just hours after the confrontation began.
The gunfire erupted around 10 pm on Friday and raged through the night. At the nearby Chaman district hospital, there were injuries reported while casualties are feared.
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) or the federal government are yet to comment on the matter as fresh border violence left the region on edge.
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