Tehran Police Detains Afghan Blogger For Alleged Insult To Iranian Women

Sources in Pakistan also reported that one civilian was killed, and three Pakistani soldiers were wounded during the confrontation.

Local media, quoting Qani, stated that Pakistani forces initiated the clash, prompting the Taliban to retaliate. According to him, the fighting lasted until 11 a.m. on Monday. He further claimed that Pakistani forces suffered casualties and that some of their military posts were destroyed.

Pakistani sources told Afghanistan International that at least three Pakistani soldiers were injured, and one civilian was killed in the exchange of fire. A Pakistani security official, speaking anonymously to Türkiye’s Anadolu News Agency, stated that the injured individual had been shot, while another civilian died amid the chaos at the border.

Torkham, one of the two main trade crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan, has remained closed for over a week due to a dispute over the Taliban’s construction of a new checkpoint.

A Pakistani official revealed that the border closure, which affects trade between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwestern Pakistan and Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan, is causing an estimated daily loss of $3 million.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, previously stated that the closure was due to the Taliban’s attempt to build a checkpoint on Pakistani territory. Calling the move a violation of existing protocols, Khan emphasised that Pakistan aims to resolve the issue through dialogue.

Pakistani media have reported that multiple rounds of negotiations between Taliban and Pakistani border forces have been held in an effort to reopen the crossing, but no agreement has yet been reached.

On Monday, the Taliban embassy stated on the social media platform X that the meeting focused on increasing cooperation in exports and imports via Chabahar, a strategic port in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province that serves as a vital trade corridor between India and Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan.

India has been actively working to utilise Chabahar port to reduce Afghanistan’s dependence on Pakistan and strengthen its economic ties with the Taliban. According to Al Jazeera, this trade route could enhance India’s influence in the region, providing an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz and maritime corridors where Pakistan holds significant control.

Amid escalating tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban, the group appears to be forging closer relations with Pakistan’s long-time rival, India. Earlier in January, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met with Vikram Misri, India’s Deputy Foreign Minister, in Dubai to discuss regional developments and economic cooperation.

According to Geo News, the individual, identified as Mujeeb-ur-Rahman Mansoor, was reportedly a commander in the third battalion of Afghanistan’s National Military Academy. Sources claim he was killed on February 28, along with 14 others described as “terrorists” in the Ghulum Khan area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The report does not specify whether Rahman held his position under the Taliban administration or the previous Afghan government.

Earlier, Pakistani authorities reported that Badruddin, the son of Mullah Ghulam Mohammad, the Taliban’s deputy governor in Badghis, was killed in a clash with Pakistani military forces alongside several Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters.

Pakistani officials have frequently claimed that Afghan nationals are fighting alongside the TTP against Pakistan’s security forces, further straining relations between Islamabad and the Taliban government.

Baghaei explained that Sayyaf traveled to Iran for “medical treatment.” During a press conference on Monday, in response to a question about the visit of an Afghan jihadi leader, he said, “Afghan society is diverse, with many different personalities and parties, and it is not unusual for someone to travel to Iran.”

Without directly naming Sayyaf, Baghaei added, “As far as I know, the individual you are referring to has come to Iran for medical treatment.”

However, a former Afghan government official and close associate of Sayyaf told Afghanistan International that the jihadi leader traveled to Iran at the invitation of the Iranian government.

Reports of Sayyaf’s trip to Iran emerged last week. He is a well-known opponent of the Taliban and has consistently criticised the group’s policies.

Earlier, sources close to Sayyaf told Afghanistan International that he was engaged in discussions with Iranian officials regarding the situation in Afghanistan and potential solutions to the ongoing conflict. He also reportedly held meetings with Afghan factions residing in Iran.

According to Pourabad, 1.95 million tonnes of goods were transported to Afghanistan through this route during the stated period.

The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported on Monday, citing the Iranian official, that Iran’s exports to Afghanistan via Dogharoon Customs rose by 25 percent between 20 March 2024 and 19 January 2025, compared to the same period last year.

Pourabad stated that 1,315,527 tonnes of goods were exported to Afghanistan during this time.

According to the Iranian official, key Iranian exports to Afghanistan included construction materials, iron, fuel, and liquefied gas.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Ali Khashi, Supervisor of Sistan-Baluchestan province customs, also reported that over the past 11 months, Iran has exported goods worth $31 million to Afghanistan exclusively through the province’s border crossings.

The Iranian officials did not specify the reason behind the seventy percent increase in transit trade through the Dogharoon border. However, a decline in Afghan traders’ use of Pakistan for transit trade may be a significant factor behind the surge in imports via Iran.

In recent years, Pakistan has imposed severe restrictions on Afghan transit trade, along with multiple closures of the Torkham border crossing. Afghan traders have been required to provide financial guarantees in Pakistani banks equivalent to the value of their goods and pay 10 percent of the goods’ value as a clearance fee.