Accessibility links

Breaking News

Pakistan Closes Key Border Crossing With Afghanistan After Taliban Advances


Pakistani and Afghan soldiers stand guard as trucks wait at the Torkham border crossing on August 3.
Pakistani and Afghan soldiers stand guard as trucks wait at the Torkham border crossing on August 3.

Pakistan has closed the Torkham crossing with neighboring Afghanistan with the Afghan side of the border now under Taliban control, Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has said.

Ahmad said on August 15 that the decision to close the Torkhan border was made due to an extraordinary situation on the other side.

He told Geo TV that the border was closed when Afghan police surrendered to the Taliban.

Pakistan has already said that it cannot bear any new wave of Afghan refugees in the wake of crisis in the war-torn country.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG