Pakistan-Afghanistan border clashes force thousands to flee

Overnight clashes between Pakistani and Afghan security forces at the main border crossing between the countries caused thousands of people to flee their homes but the situation had calmed down, residents and officials said.

The conflict started March 3, the first working day of Ramadan, when food imports from Pakistan usually peak in Afghanistan.

Around 15,000 local residents fled to Landi Kotal due to the clashes, an official said. Afghan border guards had opened fire without warning, targeting government buildings and civilians, and causing widespread panic.

The Torkham crossing has been shut since February 21 due to a dispute over the construction of a border-area outpost by Afghanistan, Pakistani officials said on condition of anonymity.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for a comment. The Torkham crossing is the main transit artery for travellers and goods between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan. Trade between the countries was worth over $1.6 billion in 2024, according to Pakistan's foreign office.

The closure has stranded 5,000 trucks filled with essential goods and caused at least $15 million in losses, said Yousaf Afridi, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries for Pakistan's Khyber district where the Torkham crossing is located.

Meanwhile a suicide bombing tore through a security installation in north-western Pakistan killing at least nine civilians, police said.

Zia u Din, the head of the police force in the northern district of Bannu, said the explosion had also injured 18 people, adding that the figures did not include any security force casualties.

Many of the injured, minors included, were taken into a hospital in Bannu. Police officials said the blast was likely caused by a vehicle laden with explosives.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the explosion. Attacks by the Pakistani Taliban Islamist militant group have risen in recent years against Pakistani police and military in areas near the Afghan border.