Clashes Along Hypothetical Durand Line Displace Families in Paktia
Clashes broke out again late Saturday night between Afghan forces and Pakistani troops along the Hypothetical Durand Line in Dand Patan and Aryob Zazai districts of Paktia province, lasting several hours.
Local residents said Pakistani forces fired several rockets into civilian areas. Although no casualties were reported, the attacks forced many families to flee their homes.
Mohammad Khan, a resident of Dand Patan district, said: “The fighting started in the afternoon and continued until evening. After that, there was occasional gunfire, but people were very afraid that fighting might break out again during the night. They took women and children out of their homes.”
Hazrat Mohammad, a resident of Aryob Zazai district, said: “They cannot fight the Islamic Emirate directly, but they have taken on some project from the United States and are bombing this area under different excuses, harming civilians. They have no respect for Islam, good neighborly relations, or humanity.”
Military analysts said the clashes could negatively affect the already fragile relations between the two countries and would not resolve any problems. They stressed that disputes should be settled through dialogue.
Asadullah Nadeem, a military affairs analyst, said: “Although these clashes are not large-scale, they affect both sides. They harm not only governments but also ordinary people, create mistrust, and negatively affect economic and other relations. Both countries should resolve their problems through dialogue because these clashes solve nothing.”
The 203rd Mansouri Corps in southeastern Afghanistan said Pakistani forces initiated the clashes and that Afghan forces responded with defensive fire.
