Displaced residents return to Chaman border towns
Around 5,000 villagers had fled following cross-border tension in May
June 18, 2017
CHAMAN: Residents of Killi Luqman and Killi Jahangir villages on the border with Afghanistan have started returning to their homes after fleeing as a result of cross-border clashes.
Around 5,000 people had left their homes following clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s security forces on May 5.
Security officials said all the residents will have settled in a few days, adding that medical aid and rations will also be provided to the resettling families.
As a result of the incident, the border was also closed but later reopened on May 22 following “request of Afghan authorities”.
The clashes erupted after Afghan border forces fired on Frontier Corps Balochistan soldiers accompanying a census team in the border villages. Kabul, which does not recognise the international border between the two countries, said the villages are located on Afghan territory.
As many as 11 people were killed and 46 injured in the incident on the Pakistani side. Later, Pakistani officials said dozens of Afghan police personnel were killed in retaliatory fire but the figure was dismissed by the Afghan ambassador in Pakistan.
Once the border was reopened, the Pakistan Army’s media wing said “After the Chaman incident, Pakistan has its area under effective control having pushed back Afghan border police troops”.
The census process has been completed on the Pakistani side and it has been agreed upon by Pakistani authorities that the ceasefire shall be maintained and no border violation will be acceptable, the statement added.
Pakistani troops will maintain its positions along the international border in Killi Luqman and Killi Jahangir villages on the Pakistani side of the border, it was stated further.
At present, demarcation of the villages has been conducted, with barbed wires erected and check posts established on the ‘zero line’.
