By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - A key border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan remained closed to all traffic for the second day on Thursday following a clash between the two countries’ forces.

The Pakistan Army and Afghan Taliban forces exchanged heavy fire on Wednesday, resulting in the closure of the Torkham border, the main point of transit for travelers and goods between the two neighboring countries. Torkham border is only 55 kilometers (34 miles) west of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

"Yes, the border remains closed as of yesterday, and efforts are being made to resolve the issue and defuse tensions," a Pakistani security officer told Anadolu on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak with the media.

Afghanistan's interim Interior Ministry claimed that the clash erupted after Pakistani forces opened fire on Taliban forces.

However, the Pakistani official refuted the Afghan ministry's statement, claiming that the Taliban forces initiated the fire when they were prevented from constructing a checkpoint near the border fence.

Earlier in February, the interim Taliban administration shut down the Torkham border, which connects Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, for nearly a week after a fire exchange.

Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan share 18 crossing points, the busiest of which are the Torkham and Chaman, which connect Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province with Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province.

Clashes between the two border troops have long been taking place, and there have been no respites even after the Taliban retook Afghanistan in August 2021.

Last December, at least six Pakistani civilians were killed in an exchange of heavy fire along the Chaman border.

On Wednesday, at least four Pakistan soldiers and 12 militants were killed in a clash near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan in the northwestern Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to a Pakistan Army statement.

Pakistan has seen an uptick in terrorist attacks since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

Islamabad accuses Kabul of harboring militants, a charge the latter denies.