A shooting incident near a border post between Iran and Afghanistan has resulted in the deaths of at least three individuals, escalating tensions between the two countries amidst an ongoing
dispute over water rights. The clash also left several people injured.
According to the spokesperson for Afghanistan's interior ministry, Abdul Nafi Takor, the shooting occurred when Iranian border forces fired toward Afghanistan, prompting a counter-reaction. Takor stated that the situation is now under control, emphasizing that Afghanistan does not seek conflict with its neighbors. However, the identities of the victims were not disclosed.
While the Afghan spokesperson reported one casualty on each side and multiple injuries, Iran's official news agency, IRNA, later confirmed that two Iranian border guards were killed, with two Iranian civilians sustaining injuries. The Tehran Times, a semiofficial English-language newspaper, claimed that three Iranian border guards lost their lives in the incident.
The violence comes after Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned the Taliban not to violate a 1973 treaty by obstructing the flow of water from the Helmand River to Iran's eastern regions. The Taliban, which currently holds power in Afghanistan, denied the accusation.
Enayatullah Khowarazmi, spokesperson for the Taliban Ministry of Defence, expressed regret over the shooting, stating that it occurred in the border areas of the Kong district of Nimroz province. Khowarazmi emphasized the Taliban's belief in dialogue and negotiation as the preferred means of resolving conflicts.
In response, Iran accused the Taliban forces of initiating the gunfire. Iran's deputy police chief, Qasem Rezaei, stated, "Without observing international laws and good neighborliness, Taliban forces started shooting at the Sasoli checkpoint, provoking a decisive response."
Following the clash, Iranian authorities decided to temporarily close the Milak-Zaranj border post, a significant commercial crossing that was not directly involved in the incident, until further notice.
The dispute over water rights has heightened tensions between the two countries. The Helmand River, spanning over 1,000 kilometers and flowing across the border, has been dammed on the Afghan side for electricity generation and agricultural irrigation. Iran has been grappling with drought for several decades, with the situation worsening in recent years, leading to concerns over water scarcity.
Amidst these tensions, the acting Foreign Minister of the Taliban, Amir Khan Muttaqi, met with an Iranian envoy to discuss the water rights of the Helmand River. However, other incidents, including a video purportedly showing a standoff between Iranian forces and the Taliban along the border, indicate rising tensions.
The situation remains complex, with both Iran and Afghanistan needing to address the water rights dispute while avoiding further escalation and seeking peaceful resolutions to their differences. Photo by isafmedia, Wikimedia commons.