16th Border Clash Between Taliban, Pakistan; What Is Durand Line?
As a result of armed clashes between Taliban militants in Afghanistan and Pakistani border forces in the border area of Babrak Khan Tanai in the Khost province, several servicemen from both sides were wounded.
Taliban militants on Saturday afternoon (March 9), after establishing military installations by Pakistani border forces in the border area of Babrak Khan Tanai in Khost province, fired shots and launched mortars towards Pakistani soil. In response to this attack, Pakistani forces targeted Taliban positions and engaged in exchange of fire with the militants.
As a result of this clash, two Pakistani servicemen and several Taliban militants were wounded. Authorities from both sides have not made any comments on this border clash so far.
This is the sixteenth border clash between the Taliban and Pakistan since the inauguration of the group’s government in Afghanistan in August 2021. The previous clash occurred on January 20, 2024 at the border crossing of Afghanistan’s Kunar and Pakistan’s Bajaur.
The main cause of most border clashes between the Taliban militants and the Pakistani border guards is related to the construction of military and security installations by Pakistani border forces along the border lines.
The Taliban authorities do not recognize the Afghanistan-Pakistan border known as the “Durand Line” and believe that this border was established in 1893 and 1919 by the leaders of the British-controlled Indian government (Taj) and Abdur Rahman Khan, the then Amir of Afghanistan, at a time when Pakistan did not exist to assert its views on border demarcation.
Therefore, the establishment of security and military installations is also a point of contention and Pakistan’s actions usually lead to armed confrontations and exchange of fire.
The Durand Line is a 2,430-kilometer border line that delineates the current border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The name of this border line is derived from the British diplomat Henry Mortimer Durand who was the senior negotiator between the UK-controlled Indian government and the Afghan emir, Abdur Rahman Khan. The Durand Line divides Pashtun territories into two separate parts and has led to a significant amount of conflict and tension in the region.
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