Kabul, March 8 (NationPress) A significant fire broke out in the commercial market of Torkham, located in Afghanistan, following an intense bombardment by Pakistani forces. This incident resulted in substantial damage to local businesses and properties, as reported by local media on Sunday, citing official sources.

Torkham's Mayor, Mawlawi Abdullah Mustafa, indicated that multiple shells were launched towards the town around 4 a.m. (local time) on Sunday, impacting a nearby commercial market area, according to Khaama Press, which referenced the Bakhtawar News Agency.

The artillery fire ignited a blaze that swiftly spread across several shops, necessitating a joint effort from firefighters and community members to extinguish the flames.

Officials confirmed that four fire trucks, municipal water tankers, and local volunteers were dispatched to manage the situation; however, the fire remained partially uncontrolled at the time of reporting.

As of now, over 150 shops have been devastated by the fire, with the market complex owner estimating economic losses to be nearly 300 million Afghanis.

The Torkham border crossing, which links Afghanistan and Pakistan, is one of the most crucial trade routes and significantly influences the flow of goods and people between the two nations.

This ongoing conflict highlights the escalating instability along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where persistent clashes and casualty reports continue to complicate relations between the two countries.

Local residents and business owners are calling for enhanced security measures in residential zones, expressing concerns that ongoing cross-border violence jeopardizes their livelihoods and economic stability in this already fragile border area, as per Khaama Press.

In a related development, Afghan officials reported that Taliban forces killed 30 Pakistani soldiers during recent skirmishes along the Durand Line border, local media stated, quoting a defense ministry representative.

Taliban defense ministry spokesperson Enayatullah Khwarazmi mentioned that the confrontations occurred in the Shorabak district of Afghanistan's Kandahar province, where Taliban fighters reportedly seized a Pakistani military outpost, as reported by Pakistan's leading news agency, Khaama Press.

Khwarazmi added that the Taliban forces destroyed the outpost using explosives after capturing it during the clashes.

He claimed that 30 Pakistani soldiers lost their lives in the conflict, including 20 who were sent to reinforce the outpost. Additionally, Taliban fighters reportedly captured five Pakistani military positions in the Dand Patan region of Paktia and infiltrated posts Top Sar Khwuch Karam and Anzerki Sar.

The current cycle of hostilities began when Taliban-led Afghan forces initiated retaliatory measures against Pakistani military targets on February 27, in response to Pakistan's operations against militants within Afghan territory on February 21. Following these Afghan offensives, Pakistan initiated 'Operation Ghazab lil-Haq' (Righteous Fury) in retaliation for what it termed "unprovoked firing" by Afghan forces across various border sectors.