US demands lead to border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan

by wsws (reposted)

Sat, May 19, 2007 8:59AM

Pakistan’s attempts to tighten security along its border have led to a series of clashes with US-occupied Afghanistan. On Thursday, for the second time this week, Pakistani forces in the Kurram tribal agency fired mortars and rockets at positions in the adjacent Afghan province of Paktia. Four Afghan troops were killed, while US aircraft reportedly buzzed the skies overhead.

The incident underscores the tensions that exist along the volatile frontier. Last Sunday, at least eight Afghan border police and four civilians were killed in the same area after an exchange of gunfire with Pakistani troops. Both sides have blamed the other for initiating the fighting.

Pakistan has insisted that the clash broke out after Afghan forces unleashed “unprovoked” gunfire at several border posts. According to the Afghan interior ministry, the Pakistani troops were four kilometres inside the Zazi district of Paktia and had taken over two border posts. Afghan police and tribal militiamen drove them back and briefly seized two checkpoints on the Pakistani side near the town of Teri Mangal before withdrawing.

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http://wsws.org/articles/2007/may2007/afgh-m19.shtml

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