Key border crossing reopens in Afghanistan

Akey crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan partially reopened yesterday, days after the Taliban took control of the Afghan border town in a rapid offensive across the country.

Pakistan shut off the border when the militants captured Spin Boldak from Afghan government forces on Wednesday, leaving thousands of people stranded on either side and trade at a standstill.

A Pakistani border official said that people were being allowed to enter Pakistan in small groups, while hundreds were heading into Afghanistan.

Situation under control

“We have decided to let them cross over to Pakistan ... after checking their travel documents, enabling them to join their families on Eid al-Adha,” a border official said.

“We are effectively managing our border with Afghanistan,” Pakistan’s interior minister Sheikh Rashid said yesterday.

The Taliban’s seizure of the border town follows weeks of intensifying clashes across Afghanistan, with the insurgents capitalising on the last stages of the US troop withdrawal to launch a series of lightning offensives, overrunning districts at a staggering rate.

The group have also taken other vital border crossings with neighbouring countries in the north and west.

An Afghan returning to work in the northern Pakistani city of Peshawar said he passed government soldiers and Taliban fighters on his journey through Kandahar province to the Spin Boldak crossing. “I saw tanks and guns on my way and I was stopped yesterday by Afghan soldiers who warned me about the security problems in Spin Boldak,” Abdul Latif said.