Afghanistan says 9 of its soldiers killed in clashes with Pakistani troops

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Afghanistan on Sunday said its nine soldiers were killed and over a dozen others injured in overnight clashes with Pakistani security forces, as the two armies engaged in cross-border shelling and firing of heavy artillery.

Addressing a news conference in Kabul, Zabihullah Mujahid, Afghanistan’s interim government spokesperson, claimed that 58 Pakistani soldiers were also killed and another 30 injured in clashes on Saturday evening.

According to him, more than 20 security posts belonging to Pakistan were taken over by Afghanistan's forces.

There was no official comment from Pakistan’s side on Mujahid's claims till the publishing of this report, but Pakistani security sources claimed that they have taken over 19 Afghan posts.

Mujahid said that Afghan forces halted their operation against Pakistani military outposts across the border after mediation from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, according to Afghanistan's private broadcaster Tolo News.

The latest escalation came a day after Afghanistan’s interim Taliban administration accused the Pakistani army of violating airspace over the capital Kabul and bombing a market in the Margha region of the Paktika province bordering Pakistan on Thursday night.

Islamabad neither confirmed nor denied it was behind the attacks but said it will do everything to protect its citizens, as Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terrorism, which it blames on the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Pakistan claims the TTP militants are based in Afghanistan and accuses Kabul of failing to prevent terrorists belonging to the TTP, a conglomerate of several militant groups, from carrying out attacks in Pakistan.

Afghanistan, however, denies the charges, reaffirming its commitment not to allow its soil to be used for attacks on its neighbor.

- 2 key crossings shut

The latest clashes have led to the closure of two key crossings between the neighbors.

"The northwestern Torkham and southwestern Chaman crossings have been shut since 2 am (local time) Sunday for all kinds of movement until further order due to the ongoing tense situation at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border," an official said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Habib Bangalzai, deputy commissioner of Chaman, confirmed the closure of Chaman crossing.

Bangalzai told reporters that additional security forces contingents have been deployed on the border due to the ongoing hostilities.

Afghanistan's private broadcaster Tolo News also confirmed that the Torkham and Chaman-Spin Boldak crossings were closed after Afghan border forces launched operations last night against Pakistani posts.

Pakistan and Afghanistan share 18 border crossings, with Torkham and Chaman serving as the key trade and people's movement.

An earlier statement from the interim Afghan Defense Ministry said that Afghan forces "conducted successful retaliatory operations targeting Pakistani security outposts along the Durand Line. These operations concluded at midnight."

- Pakistan to safeguard its national interest, sovereignty

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday reaffirmed that Islamabad remains "firmly" committed to safeguarding its national interests, regional sovereignty, and security, urging Kabul to take "concrete and verifiable action against anti-Pakistan terrorist elements operating from the Afghan soil."

In a statement, Zardari said that Pakistan will continue to support the educational and humanitarian needs of the Afghan people, but no compromise will ever be made on Pakistan’s national sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Mujahid said that the Pakistani government proposed sending a delegation to visit Kabul. However, he added, the interim government rejected the offer, citing violations of Afghanistan's airspace as the reason for their decision.