Senior Taliban Official Visits Durand Line Posts Amid Rising Tensions
The Taliban’s Ministry of Defense has announced that Mali Khan Sadiq, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, visited border posts along the Durand Line in Kunar province and met with the forces stationed there. According to the ministry, the purpose of this trip was to assess the security situation and the morale of the troops.
The ministry’s statement added that Muhammad Nizami, Deputy Commander of the 201st Khalid bin Walid Army Corps, accompanied him on the trip. This army corps is responsible for security in parts of eastern Afghanistan.
According to the announcement, the Deputy Chief of Staff praised the “sacrifices” of the forces during the meetings and provided guidance on protecting territorial integrity and ensuring public security. These remarks come amid ongoing tensions along the Durand Line, an issue historically sensitive between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with local residents frequently complaining about insecurity and damages resulting from clashes.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Defense also stated that Mr. Sadiq visited the provincial hospital in Kunar and paid a visit to those wounded in an incident the previous night, caused by gunfire from Pakistani military forces. No independent details have yet been released regarding how the incident occurred.
During the visit, he expressed condolences to the families of the injured and emphasized that the Taliban leadership and the Ministry of Defense officials are committed to the “firm defense” of the regime and the country’s territorial integrity. However, critics have repeatedly called for greater transparency regarding border incidents and practical measures to prevent such events from recurring.
The ministry further reported that cash aid was distributed to some of the injured patients admitted to the hospital.
