Border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan disrupt crossings

Heavy fighting between Pakistani and Afghan forces erupted along the two countries' long, disputed frontier this week, cutting trade and travel at major crossings and leaving scores of fighters and civilians dead or wounded, officials on both sides said. The clashes, centered on the Spin Boldak district in southeastern Afghanistan and Chaman in Pakistan, flared after earlier weekend exchanges and resumed in the early hours of Wednesday, prompting the temporary closure of the Spin Boldak-Chaman and Torkham crossings and stranding hundreds of people.

Afghan Taliban officials said the fighting began in retaliation for Pakistani strikes they said had violated Afghan territory and airspace. Afghan statements accused Pakistan of causing civilian deaths in Spin Boldak and said Afghan forces hit multiple Pakistani military posts. Pakistan's military, through its Inter-Services Public Relations office, said its troops repulsed coordinated attacks by Afghan Taliban fighters and allied militants in several locations and reported heavy enemy casualties. Both sides provided sharply different casualty tallies, and independent verification of those figures was not available.