Taiban Pakistan reopens Spin Boldak border crossing held by Taliban; Afghanistan loses $33 million in customs revenues
Islamabad: Pakistani authorities have reopened the Chaman-Spin Boldak border, one of the major border crossings with Afghanistan, that has been held by the Taliban since early this month, local media reports said. However, details of customs clearances on the Afghan sides are not yet clear.
The border crossing is a key port for landlocked Afghanistan and Pakistan had earlier closed it when fierce fighting erupted between Taliban insurgents and Afghan security forces for the control of the most significant trade point. Reuters reported that Pakistan had allowed 100 trucks to cross into Afghanistan daily due to pressure from traders.
"Pakistan has opened its border with Afghanistan at Chaman today and resumed Afghan Transit Trade which was suspended since the last one month," Arif Kakar, a senior official of the Chaman border district, was quoted as saying by Reuters.Many border towns, including those having dry ports, in Afghanistan have fallen to the Taliban in the last two months. Sher Khan Bandar, Ai Khanum, Shirkhan on the border with Tajikistan, and Islam Qala Port on the Iranian border are still held by the insurgent group. Dand Patan, another crossing on the Pakistani border, is also under the control of insurgents.
The group seems to have been targeting important trade routes to pressure the government and to ramp up the group’s finances.
Meanwhile, the Afghan Finance Ministry has said that the government lost over $33 million in customs revenue in the last month. It also added the government had no control over at least seven customs points. If the fighting continues in borders towns, it will have a negative impact on markets. An Afghan official said on Monday there would be a shortage of commodities in the local market, reported TOLOnews.
Earlier on Sunday, 46 Afghan soldiers sought refuge in Pakistan after losing control of military positions to Taliban insurgents as foreign troops depart. Thousands of soldiers also fled to neighboring Central Asian countries.
On Monday, US forces conducted airstrikes in Spin Boldak district, targeting armed Humvee held by the Taliban. US General Mckenzie, the commander of the CentCom, on Sunday said that Afghan forces were trying to take control of the Spin Boldak crossing currently held by insurgents. Peace talks between the warring Afghan parties have failed to make substantive progress since beginning in September last year. After initial setbacks, the Afghanistan military is overhauling its war strategy to concentrate forces around critical areas such as Kabul and other cities, and border crossings. Significantly, the Taliban’s territorial gains have slowed recently. The government in recent weeks has managed to retake control of several districts.
The Taliban has not been able to capture any provincial centers. However, experts believe the group would intensify its offensive on major population centers after August, by when the foreign troops will end its presence completely.
Experts are still divided if the insurgents would be able to take power militarily. Some argue-- based on conventional superiority, better training, and equipment of the Afghan forces--that the government will survive the Taliban offensive despite shrinking territory under its control. Others think differently.
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