A pre-dawn Pakistani artillery onslaught on Torkham border town in Afghanistan has left a commercial marketplace in ruins, with fires claiming over 150 shops and inflicting an estimated $300 million in economic devastation. The attack unfolded around 4 AM Sunday, as shells pounded the Afghan side, according to statements from local mayor Mawlawi Abdullah Mustafa relayed through regional media.
The blaze erupted instantly upon impact, forcing a massive mobilization: firefighters, municipal tankers, and ordinary citizens battled the flames for hours. Despite their efforts with four fire trucks on site, the market complex— a cornerstone of bilateral trade—suffered irreparable harm.
Torkham stands as a pulsating artery for Afghanistan-Pakistan exchanges, buzzing with traders, travelers, and goods. This strike imperils not just businesses but the broader economic fabric, prompting urgent pleas from locals for bolstered defenses around homes and markets.
Context reveals a tit-for-tat war escalating rapidly. Afghan Taliban forces announced Friday the deaths of 30 Pakistani soldiers in fierce engagements along the Durand Line, including a takeover of a military post in Kandahar’s Shorabak district, which they subsequently demolished. Further advances in Paktia saw five outposts fall, per defense ministry spokesman Inayatullah Khwarazmi.
Hostilities surged after Afghanistan’s February 27 counteroffensive against Pakistani targets, sparked by a February 21 airstrike. Pakistan’s ‘Operation Ghaib Lil-Haq’ followed, targeting what it calls Afghan aggressions. As both nations trade blame, the human and financial toll mounts, casting a shadow over hopes for dialogue.