While visiting border checkpoints near Iran, Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the acting minister of defence, pledged to maintain security on the border of the two countries, saying Afghan border forces have full control.
Mujahid warned that any group threatening the security situation would face harsh suppression, including the security forces, which would face punishment.
“They are our brothers, they are members of the nation, but if anyone or any group engages in bullying, we will fight them at the cost of our lives,” said Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid.
He said the number of border forces will increase and they will have access to more equipment.
The acting minister of defense in his speech announced that the government pledged to fight prejudice based on language and ethnicity.
“The language and racial disputes should not be cause for division and hatred, instead, we should live under the flag of Islam like brothers,” said Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid.
Meanwhile, the residents of Herat province called on the Islamic Emirate to stand against prejudice. “We ask people to refrain from prejudice based on language, racial or regional affiliation in order to become a nation,” said Abdul Wase, a resident of Herat.
Residents and local officials said that a clash erupted between the Islamic Emirate’s border forces and Iranian border guards in Kang district of Nimroz province.
Local officials confirmed the clash and said it started due to a misunderstanding between the forces of the two sides.
However, sources said that the clash began when the Iranian border forces entered Kang district to interfere with local Afghan farmers who were working on a canal at the Kamal Khan dam.
According to the sources, Iranian forces crossed onto the Afghan side in Kang district where they faced Afghan border forces and two Iranian force members were killed as a result of the clash. Their vehicle was left behind.
“Yesterday evening (Monday), a clash occurred between Afghan and Iranian border forces in Kang district of Nimroz,” said Hussain Khpalwak, a farmer in Nimroz province.
Local officials have not yet commented over the causalities of the clash. “The border problems should be addressed with negotiations and the two sides should end these problems,” said Rahmatullah, a resident of the area.
“Recently, clashes have occurred between Afghan forces and Iranian forces which is not in favor of either country,” said Abdul Hameed Watandost, a civil society activist in Nimroz.
Iranian officials have yet to comment on the clash.
This comes as a clash occurred between Islamic Emirate’s forces and Iranian forces three months ago.
