Pakistan and Afghan troops trade fire on the Torkham border crossing

New Delhi: Afghan and Pakistani forces on Monday morning exchanged fire at Torkham crossing, a day after the ruling Taliban closed the gate at the Torkham border crossing which usually is a busy border transit point.

Reuters news agency said that it was not immediately clear if Afghan or Pakistani authorities closed the Torkham border crossing, near the Khyber Pass, but it comes after relations between Afghanistan's ruling Taliban and Pakistan have deteriorated sharply.

“Border is closed, we will share details later," a spokesperson for the Taliban administration's police force in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar told Reuters.

Disputes linked to the 2,600 km (border have been a bone of contention between the neighbours for decades. The Torkham border point is the main point of transit for travellers and goods between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan.

Afghan and Pakistan troops in the past have indulged in cross firing leading to several casualties. Clashes between Afghan and Pakistani security forces have also at times happened at Chaman, the second most important crossing between the two countries.