KABUL/PESHAWAR: Taliban soldiers in Afghanistan disrupted the erecting of a security fence by the Pakistani military along the border between the two countries, Afghan officials said on Wednesday.
Pakistan has fenced most of the 2,600 km (1,615 mile) border despite protestations from Kabul, which has always contested the British-era boundary demarcation that splits families and tribes on either side.
Afghan defense ministry spokesman Enayatullah Khwarazmi said Taliban forces stopped the Pakistani military from erecting an “illegal” border fence along the eastern province of Nangarhar on Sunday.
He played down the incident, saying everything was now normal. The Pakistan army did not respond to a request for comment.
A video circulated on social media showed Taliban soldiers had seized spools of barbed wire and one senior official warning Pakistani soldiers stationed in security posts in the distance not to try to fence the border again.
Reuters could not verify the video independently.
Taliban spokesman Bilal Karimi said they were investigating the incident.
Taliban and Pakistani forces came face-to-face over the border incident, two Taliban officials told Reuters on the condition of anonymity, and the situation was tense.
They added that following the incident there was cross border mortar fire from Pakistani territory further north along the frontier into Afghanistan’s Kunar province on Wednesday.
It was unclear if the incidents are linked. The officials said Afghan military helicopters could be seen patrolling the area.
The fencing was a main reason behind the souring of relations between previous US-backed Afghan governments and Islamabad. The current standoff indicates the matter remains a contentious matter for the Taliban, despite its close ties to Islamabad.
Foreign governments have long alleged that Pakistan supported the insurgent movement as it fought the US backed government and Western troops — a charge Islamabad denies.
The lawless mountainous border was historically fluid before Pakistan began erecting a metal fence four years ago, of which it has completed 90 percent.=
The border incident happened the day foreign delegates from around the world gathered in Islamabad for a summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to discuss the unfolding humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan.
Afghan Taliban stop Pakistan army from fencing international border
https://arab.news/9cqqa
Afghan Taliban stop Pakistan army from fencing international border
- Afghan defense ministry official says Taliban forces stopped the Pakistani military from erecting an ‘illegal’ border fence on Sunday
- The border incident happened the day Islamabad was hosting the OIC summit to discuss the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan
Pakistan, Oman navies discuss maritime security, ink agreement to share shipping data
- Visiting Oman royal navy commander calls on Pakistan Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf in Islamabad
- White shipping agreement refers to exchange of prior information on movement of commercial ships
ISLAMABAD: The naval commanders of Pakistan and Oman discussed regional maritime security on Wednesday and signed an agreement to share shipping information with each other, the Pakistan Navy said in a statement.
The press release followed a meeting between Pakistan Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf and the visiting Oman Royal Navy Commander Rear Admiral Saif Bin Nasser Bin Mohsin Al Rahbi at Naval Headquarters in Islamabad.
Both navies maintain close professional relations, reflected in expert-level staff talks, joint training, bilateral exercises, and participation in multilateral exercises between the Pakistan Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman.
“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional maritime security and bilateral naval cooperation were discussed,” the Pakistan Navy said.
The MoU was signed by both sides at a ceremony at the Naval Headquarters, the navy’s media wing confirmed.
“The MoU is aimed at establishing of guidelines and procedures for information sharing in order to enhance mutual awareness of white shipping,” the Pakistan Navy said in a statement.
White shipping agreement refers to the exchange of prior information on the movement and identity of commercial non-military merchant vessels.
Information regarding the identity of vessels helps countries tackle potential threats from sea routes. This particularly helps in the development of a proper regional maritime domain awareness
The statement said Al Rahbi lauded Pakistan Navy’s professionalism and acknowledged its ongoing contributions to maritime security and regional stability.
Pakistan and Oman share geographical proximity and common maritime boundaries. Bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries span a wide range of areas, including economic cooperation, people-to-people contacts and strong defense ties.
In December, a Royal Navy flotilla from Oman visited Karachi to take part in the annual bilateral Thamar Al Tayyib (TAT) 2025 exercise.
Pakistan Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman have been conducting the TAT series of exercises regularly since 1980.
