Peace efforts fail as Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes continue

All efforts to maintain peace on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border have failed as violent clashes continue between the armed forces of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Tensions have escalated on the border in the Chaman district of Balochistan province.

"The injured include innocent women and children," Dawn quoted ISPR as saying. Speaking to Dawn, Zahid Saleem, the Balochistan Additional Chief Secretary for Home and Tribal Affairs said that at least one died and 15 others were injured. Saleem said that five of those injured were in serious condition and those in need of intensive care were shifted to the trauma centre at Quetta's Civil Hospital.

As per the news report, an emergency was declared in the government hospitals of Quetta and Chaman. Taliban in a post on Twitter claimed that Pakistani forces had opened fire and called for a resolution of the issue through negotiations.

Speaking to Dawn, a senior official posted in the border town said that Afghan forces opened fire when Pakistan border authorities started repairing the fence damaged during Sunday's clashes. He said that Pakistan's security personnel returned fire and added that both sides used heavy weaponry in the gun battle.

The clashes between security forces from Pakistan and Afghanistan erupted after Afghan forces started shelling on Sunday, according to Dawn. At least eight people died and more than a dozen were injured while one Afghan soldier was killed in the cross-border firing. (ANI)