The Afghan Taliban closed one of the border crossings with Pakistan, saying no one would be allowed through until Pakistan relaxed its visa requirement.
The insurgent group’s shadow governor for Kandahar province said in the statement: “(The crossing) will remain closed for all types of commuting, including transit and trade, for both sides, and pedestrians, until the Pakistani side leaves the gate open, morning to evening, for Afghans holding [Pakistani issued] migration cards or [Afghan] ID cards,” Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, also endorsed the move.
Last month, the Taliban captured southeast Chaman-Spin Boldak border crossing from Afghan force. Initially, Pakistan decided to close the second busiest entry point and main commercial artery to the sea, before reopening it in the last week.Since US-led foreign troops began leaving Afghanistan earlier this year, fighting between the Taliban and Afghan forces has escalated significantly.
In recent weeks, the Taliban have advanced rapidly on provincial capitals and targeted top government officials inside Kabul.
The closure could impact import of medicines and other essential goods as violence has sharply escalated in Afghanistan amidst a pandemic, with the United Nations saying hundreds of thousands have been displaced internally.
