Pakistan closes key border crossing with Afghanistan following reports of Taliban seizing key nearby area

KARACHI: Pakistan has closed down its key border crossing with Afghanistan in Balochistan province following reports of Taliban fighters taking control of an important border crossing point Spin Boldak in Afghanistan, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Chaman Assistant Commissioner Arif Kakar confirmed to the media that the Friendship Gate crossing at the Chaman border with Afghanistan has been closed.

"Security is on high alert," he said but didn't comment on the reports about Taliban fighters seizing control of the Spin Boldak crossing.

Spin Boldak is a strategic crossing point along with the border Pakistani town of Chaman and heavy trade is carried on between the two countries from this point.

The Taliban have in recent weeks made gains by seizing a string of border crossings and dry ports.

Social media platforms carried pictures of Taliban fighters near Spin Boldak crossing even as Afghan government officials insisted they still had control of the area.

Social media showed reports saying that the Taliban had taken control of the important road between (Spin) Boldak and Chaman and Kandahar customs with the Mujahideen assuring traders and residents in the area that their "security is guaranteed"

The Pakistan government insists it will not take sides in Afghanistan as foreign troops withdraw from the war-torn country.

The Taliban militants have seized dozens of districts in Afghanistan in recent weeks and are now thought to control about a third of the country amid withdrawal of the US and Western troops from Afghanistan.

Under a deal with the Taliban, the US and its NATO allies agreed to withdraw all troops in return for a commitment by the militants that they would prevent extremist groups from operating in areas they control.

US President Joe Biden last week announced that America's nearly 20-year military mission in Afghanistan will conclude on August 31.