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Taliban Closes Border Crossing With Pakistan, Alleging Accord Breach

© AFP 2023 WAKIL KOHSARIn this picture taken on February 2, 2023, a Pakistan border policeman is pictured from the zero point Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan, in Nangarhar province.
In this picture taken on February 2, 2023, a Pakistan border policeman is pictured from the zero point Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan, in Nangarhar province. - Sputnik India, 1920, 20.02.2023
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Ties between the Afghan Taliban* and its close ally, Islamabad, have deteriorated in recent months, in the wake of rising militant attacks in Pakistan.
The Taliban on Sunday shut the Torkham border crossing with Pakistan, accusing the latter of breaching commitments made to Afghanistan's current rulers.
The development was confirmed by Maulavi Mohammad Siddique, the Taliban Torkham commissioner, who stated that Pakistani nationals will no longer have access to the border point, either for trade purposes or for travel.

Tensions Resume at Afghan-Pakistani Border

Machine gunfire and explosions were reported on the Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan on Monday morning, but there was no clear reason why the confrontation broke out.

"Pakistan has not abided by its commitments and so the gateway has been shut down on the directions of (our) leadership," Siddique posted on Twitter, urging Afghan nationals not to arrive at this particular border located in the eastern Nangarhar region of the war-ravaged nation.

Siddique, however, didn't divulge the details of the accord broken by Islamabad; some reports emanating from Kabul claimed that the Taliban's move was in response to Islamabad barring Afghan patients from visiting Pakistani hospitals.
The latest downturn in relations between the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan comes at a time when ties between Islamabad and Kabul have hit a new low, following a devastating suicide bombing at the Peshawar mosque that killed more than 100 people, including scores of policemen last month.
The Pakistani authorities have accused the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)**, commonly known as the Pakistani Taliban, of orchestrating the attack. What's more, Pakistani security agencies allege that Afghan soil was used in planning the attack.
In November 2022, the TTP ended its ceasefire agreement with Pakistan's federal government, leading to a sudden spike in militant attacks, particularly on its security forces.
This month, Pakistan witnessed its first attack in Punjab province, in which suspected TTP gunmen opened fire on counter-terrorism officials at a police station in the Mianwali district.
Last week, the headquarters of the Karachi Police became the latest target of a terrorist strike, leading to the killing of all three attackers and four Pakistani security personnel.
*under UN sanctions for terrorism
** a terrorist organisation banned in Russia
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