Clashes and exchange of accusations ... dead and wounded at a border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan

7 Pakistani and Afghan demonstrators were killed and others were injured today, Friday, after clashing with Pakistani security personnel off the "Chamman" border crossing, which separates Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Al-Jazeera correspondent reported that hundreds of people wishing to cross the border clashed with the security forces due to the closure of the border crossing by Pakistani authorities Thursday evening.

A Pakistani official said that "the demonstrators rioted, and attacked government offices in the vicinity of the Chemmen crossing, which prompted the security forces and border guards to use force."

In a related context, Pakistan accused the Afghan forces operating at the border crossing between the two countries, starting a random and unjustified shooting, Thursday, which killed Pakistani and Afghan civilians and damaged Pakistani government headquarters.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in an official statement that the Pakistani Border Guard Force had responded to the fire sources from the Afghan side similarly, and also indicated that Islamabad had done its diplomatic and military contacts with the aim of defusing the tension.

On the other hand, Afghan officials said that artillery fire launched by Pakistan across the border killed at least 15 civilians in Afghanistan on Thursday, which pushed Kabul to put its ground and air forces on alert.

The artillery fire came after clashes between the Pakistani and Afghan security forces at the closed Shaman-Spin Boldak crossing, as crowds of citizens of both countries were waiting on both sides to cross before Eid al-Adha.

The crossing, which was closed most of the time, was opened to pedestrians during the Corona pandemic, for a brief period last Wednesday, and it was to be opened again yesterday, Thursday, to allow citizens of both countries to cross to celebrate the holiday that falls on Friday in Afghanistan and Saturday in Pakistan.

A Pakistani official at the border told Reuters that when the crossing did not open, a large crowd gathered to protest and burned a quarantine center and a Pakistani government facility at the crossing, stressing that the situation on the border remains tense.