Renewed Confrontation At Torkham: Taliban & Pak Border Guards Exchange Heavy Fire

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated that the centre would serve as a key platform for coordinating international efforts in the region.

According to the statement released on Tuesday, 5 March, the UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution approving the establishment of the centre, with the consensus of 152 countries.

The Kazakh presidency described the resolution’s adoption as a major achievement in the country’s foreign policy.

President Tokayev also expressed gratitude to all the nations that supported the resolution’s approval.

In a statement, Shamshad confirmed that Hedayat Shah Hedayat, a Shamshad TV reporter, along with two other local journalists, sustained injuries from mortar fire launched by Pakistani forces.

Local Taliban officials in Nangarhar confirmed the injuries and stated that among the wounded were a Pajhwok News Agency reporter and a Radio Hurriyat journalist.

Taliban authorities further reported that the injured journalists had been transferred to a hospital for treatment.

On Wednesday, Taliban and Pakistani forces clashed once again at Torkham. Footage circulating on social media shows both sides exchanging heavy fire, targeting each other’s positions.

As of now, no official details have been released regarding potential casualties from the clashes.

Sources told Afghanistan International that the conflict at Torkham is still ongoing, with tensions remaining high at the strategic border crossing.

He stated that the detainees had been handed over to the relevant authorities for deportation.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Noori emphasised that the detention and deportation of undocumented migrants remain a top priority for security forces in Sistan and Baluchestan. He added that the initiative aims to “increase public safety and citizen satisfaction.”

Earlier, Ali Akbar Habibifar, police chief of Zabol in Sistan and Baluchestan, reported that security forces had detained 172 undocumented Afghan migrants over the past week. He confirmed that they had also been transferred to the relevant authorities for deportation.

This comes as the Iranian government has intensified its crackdown on Afghan migrants in recent months. Under new regulations, renting homes to undocumented migrants or employing them has been criminalised.

Despite these restrictive measures, Iran has deported more than 1.2 million Afghan migrants back to Afghanistan this year alone.

Following Trump’s announcement, Kash Patel, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), stated that on Tuesday night, 4 March (U.S. time), the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the CIA successfully extradited one of the terrorists responsible for the killing of 13 American service members at Abbey Gate during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Suspect Identified as ISIS-K Operative Mohammad Sharifullah

According to Axios, citing sources, the suspect has been identified as Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as “Jafar”.

The report states that Sharifullah was a member of ISIS-K and was accused of planning and coordinating the attack at Abbey Gate, which resulted in the deaths of at least 170 Afghan civilians and 13 U.S. service members.

Axios further reported that Sharifullah is expected to arrive in the United States on Wednesday, where his court hearing will be held publicly.

CIA and Pakistan’s Role in the Capture

U.S. officials revealed that after John Ratcliffe was confirmed as CIA Director in January, Trump ordered him to prioritise the capture of those responsible for the Abbey Gate attack. In his first communication with General Asim Malik, head of Pakistan’s ISI, Ratcliffe raised this issue.

Officials further stated that the CIA had been tracking Sharifullah for an extended period but only recently acquired precise intelligence on his whereabouts. This intelligence was shared with Pakistan’s security agencies, leading to his capture by a special unit near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Reports indicate that ten days ago, after U.S. officials were informed of Sharifullah’s arrest, Ratcliffe and FBI Director Kash Patel contacted Pakistan’s intelligence chief from CIA headquarters to discuss his extradition.

According to the report: “Since then, the CIA, the Department of Justice, and the FBI have worked together on his extradition, with Ratcliffe, Patel, and Attorney General Pam Bondi personally involved.”

On Tuesday night, Trump publicly thanked Pakistan for assisting in Sharifullah’s capture.

Kash Patel, in a post on social platform X, stated that with this arrest, justice for “American heroes and their families” is one step closer.

Neither Trump nor Patel disclosed the suspect’s identity in their statements.

As of now, Pakistani officials have not commented on the matter.

This development follows a previous claim by U.S. officials in April 2023 that the Taliban had killed an ISIS-K leader responsible for the Kabul Airport attack. While the Biden administration confirmed the leader’s death, it did not disclose his identity.

Speaking to Afghanistan International on Tuesday, the officer—who requested anonymity for security reasons—said he was arrested on 5 January in the district 5 of Kabul and released days later on bail. During his detention, he claimed he was subjected to severe physical abuse.

Fear and Threats Against Former Security Personnel

The army personnel stated that he lives in constant fear and anxiety, emphasising that all former military personnel remain at risk under the Taliban regime. He accused the Taliban of killing, imprisoning, and torturing many of his fellow servicemen.

Appealing to international organisations, including the United Nations and human rights groups, he urged them to address the plight of former Afghan security personnel. Additionally, he criticised leaders of Afghanistan’s former government, accusing them of abandoning the country and leaving ex-military members in dire conditions.

He also called on Western nations, which were allies of Afghanistan’s former government, to honour their commitments to former Afghan soldiers.

Reports of Abuse and Taliban Denials

In recent years, international organisations, including the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), have repeatedly reported on the detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings of former security forces. UNAMA recently stated that it has documented cases of murder and torture against these individuals.

Despite these reports, the Taliban continues to deny any wrongdoing, claiming that all former security personnel were granted general amnesty and face no threats. However, evidence suggests that in the past three and a half years, thousands of former soldiers and officials have been detained by the Taliban for various reasons.