IEA to investigate Spin Boldak shooting after Pakistani guard killed

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday issued a statement confirming the death of a Pakistani border guard during clashes between security forces at the Spin Bokday-Chaman crossing.

Mujahid said in the statement that “on the road leading from Spin Boldak to Chaman in Kandahar province, an unknown person fired at Pakistani security personnel, as a result of which one Pakistani soldier was killed.”

The IEA has apologized for the incident and said: “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is sorry for this incident,” Mujahid said, adding that “a high-ranking delegation has been appointed to investigate the incident and find the perpetrators.”

Following the shooting, Pakistan closed the crossing “indefinitely” for trade and all other movements.

Deputy Commissioner Abdul Hameed Zehri told VOA however that Pakistan’s attempts to seek a negotiated settlement to the issue failed to produce an outcome, but there were no clashes on Monday.

The Spin Boldak and the northwestern Torkham border crossings serve as the main trade routes for landlocked Afghanistan for bilateral and transit trade with and through Pakistan.

Residents and traders said Monday scores of trucks transporting Afghan transit trade goods and bilateral shipments were stranded on both sides of the border after Pakistan closed the Chaman crossing.