Wesh–Chaman border crossing
Wesh-Chaman Border Crossing
چمن باڈر کراسنگ | |
---|---|
Wesh-Chaman Border Crossing | |
Coordinates: 30°55′20″N 66°26′41″E / 30.92222°N 66.44472°ECoordinates: 30°55′20″N 66°26′41″E / 30.92222°N 66.44472°E | |
Countries | Pakistan Afghanistan |
Provinces | Balochistan Kandahar |
Districts | Chaman Spin Boldak |
Control | Pakistan Taliban |
Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
The Wesh–Chaman border crossing is one of the major international border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Located on the Pak-Afghan border, it leads north from the town of Chaman, Chaman District, Balochistan into in Spin Boldak District, Kandahar province. More generally, it links the two provincial capitals: Quetta and Kandahar. At least 70 thousand peoples cross this border on the daily basis having businesses in and return home in the evening.[citation needed] On 14 July 2021, the border crossing was captured by Taliban forces as part of the 2021 Taliban offensive.[1]
A brick, double-arched Friendship Gate, rising three stories tall, was erected in 2003. The gate facing towards Balochistan bears the words "Proud Pakistani" and "Pakistan First".[2][3][4] Its official hours run from morning to sunset, though smuggling may continue at night.[4]
United States military presence[]
The Wesh-Chaman border crossing has been used by international forces (ISAF) in Afghanistan as part of a major supply route stretching from the Port of Karachi to Kandahar,[5] with roughly 60 to 100 trucks traversing Chaman daily.[2] On January 18, 2010, ISAF commander General Stanley A. McChrystal visited the site after discussing the crossing's efficiency with Pakistani authorities.[6][7] A US-run Forward operating base (FOB) was located in Spin Boldak, which monitored the border crossing along with the Afghan Border Police and the Afghan National Army.
References[]
- ^ Sediqi, Abdul; Hakimi, Orooj (14 July 2021). "Afghan Taliban seize border crossing with Pakistan in major advance". Reuters. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Mekhennet, Souad; Oppel, Richard A. (2010-02-04). "Even Where Pakistani Law Exists, Taliban Find a Porous Border". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
- ^ Rizvi, Muddassir (2003-12-09). "Suspicion of Pakistan runs deep". Asia Times Online. Archived from the original on 2003-12-10. Retrieved 2010-02-04.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
- ^ Jump up to: a b Giovanni, Janine Di (2008-06-10). "Pakistan's Phantom Border". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2010-02-05. Note: Photograph of gate by Alex Majoli on p. 1 of story; account of visit on p. 5.
- ^ Roggio, Bill (2009-09-09). "Chaman border crossing closed to NATO traffic". The Long War Journal. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
- ^ "US troops surge in Afghanistan McChrystal inspects Chaman point to quicken equipment shipments". Pakistan Observer. 2010-01-20. Archived from the original on 2010-07-03. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
- ^ "McChrystal visits Chaman border". The Nation. 2010-01-19. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
External links[]
Media related to Wesh–Chaman border crossing at Wikimedia Commons
- Afghanistan–Pakistan border crossings
- Geography of Balochistan, Pakistan
- Chaman District