Pakistan reopens border gate with Afghanistan
(VOVWORLD) - Pakistan on Saturday partially reopened its southern crossing with Afghanistan, shut off since the Taliban seized control of the strategic border town on the other side.
 Chaman border gate. ( Documentary photo: AFP/VNA) |
Thousands of Afghans were left stranded in the Pakistani town of Chaman after militants captured Spin Boldak from Kabul’s forces on Wednesday, part of a rapid offensive which has left the government facing crisis.
Pakistani border officials said that the partial opening of the Chaman border, which allows crowds of up to 4,000 Afghans including women and children to cross over to Afghanistan to celebrate Eid al-Adha with their families, is purely on humanitarian grounds.
People would be allowed to cross until the evening, with the possibility the border would open again the next day.
However, all commercial activities are still temporarily suspended.