Afghani Vice-President Accuses Pakistan of Letting In Troops Who Surrendered to Taliban

Hundreds of people - including women and children - have been stranded at the Spin Boldak-Chaman border crossing after the Taliban took control of the town of Wesh in Kandahar province on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, reports emerged that Pakistan border guards used tear gas to control the situation at the crossing.

Afghanistan vice-president Am Amrullah Saleh has accused Pakistani authorities of allowing those with permits signed by the Taliban to cross the border near the Chaman border. He said on Thursday that Taliban terrorists issued signed visas to members of the Afghan security forces who surrendered to the Islamist outfit.

“Pakistan's immigration authorities - from border checkpoints to those in the inner cities - treat these (Taliban-signed) chits as official passports and stamp them,” Saleh said while mentioning that Afghanistan security personnel have arrested several troops belonging to the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces who surrendered to the Taliban before entering Pakistan.

— Urdu News (@UrduNewsCom) July 15, 2021

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Afghanistan’s first vice-president also assured Afghanis that local officials are taking a stand against the Taliban which has been advancing in several areas and claimed last week that it controls more than 85 percent of Afghanistan.

The Pakistan Foreign Ministry said on Thursday afternoon that it will open a border crossing with Afghanistan which has been closed since yesterday.

“Just as other borders of states that have been overrun by the Taliban are functioning, Pakistan too would want to open its borders with Afghanistan,” said Zahid Hafeez Chaudhary, spokesman of the Pakistan foreign ministry, about opening the Spin Boldak border.

After the Taliban launched an offensive on the Kabul controlled region after the US-led NATO forces withdrew, reports have emerged that people have started fleeing to neighbouring countries such as Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.