As Taliban Takes More Territory, Pakistan Army Completes 90% Fencing along Afghan Border

With increase in Taliban incursions into Pakistan, the latter has now announced the completion of 90% of a fencing project being constructed along the border with Afghanistan.

Pakistan started the fence along the 2,611-kilometer (1,622-mile) border with Afghanistan, known as the Durand Line in 2017 and has planned to complete the construction by this summer. The border barrier between the two countries consists of two sets of chain-link fences separated by a 2-meter (6.5-foot) space that has been filled with concertina wire coils. The double fence is about 4 meters (13 feet) high. Surveillance cameras have also been installed to prevent any movement through the border.

On Tuesday, a Pakistani military official, Col. Rizwan Nazir, told a group of foreign journalists at the key Torkham border crossing that the remaining 10% of the fence at the western border will be complete this year. Pakistani soldiers were seen patrolling one of the most dangerous regions in the county, where Pakistani Taliban and other local and foreign militants have a presence.

The announcement by the Pakistan army comes amid increasing violence in neighboring Afghanistan, where the Taliban have ramped up attacks at the even prior to the complete withdrawal of American troops from the region.