Afghan-pakistan clashes flare for second time in days

JALALABAD, Afghanistan: Cross- border clashes flared yesterday between Afghan and Pakistani security forces for a second time in five days as Kabul and Islamabad engaged in a war of words over the porous frontier, officials said.

On the edge of the Afghan capital, more than 2,000 people, mostly villagers, demonstrated and chanted ‘Death to Pakistan!’ to protest against the fighting.

Relations between the fractious neighbours have become increasingly strained despite renewed efforts last month by US Secretary of State John Kerry to get them to work more closely on peace efforts in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan and Pakistan are in dispute over a site where Pakistan has tried to construct a gate on what Afghan officials say is Afghan territory. Clashes last Wednesday in the same spot killed an Afghan guard and wounded two Pakistanis.

The border is unmarked in places and a key battleground in the fight against Taliban violence plaguing both countries.

“Today the Pakistanis returned to the construction site and said they will rebuild the installations,” said Afghan interior ministry spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi.

“Our border police told them not to do so. The Pakistanis fired at them and our police returned fire. The fighting lasted for two hours before the Pakistanis requested a ceasefire,” the spokesman added.

He told AFP the clashes had since stopped and the Pakistani border guards had left the site of the construction. — AFP