The conflict between Iran and Afghanistan threatens to escalate: According to reports, the Taliban are strengthening their forces on the Iranian border – with heavy equipment.
The radical Islamic Taliban in Afghanistan are apparently moving forces to the Iranian border. This is reported, among others, by the Afghan medium “Panjshir Province News”. Videos are also being shared on social media that are said to show Taliban fighters in armored vehicles and armed jeeps.
“Heavily armed Taliban military convoys are moving towards the Islam Qala border in Herat,” writes journalist Natiq Malikzada from Dubai-based channel Achbar Al-Aan. Malikzada tweeted that the Taliban denied “any kind of tension at the border” but gave no explanation for the deployment of the troops. The videos cannot be independently verified.
The Islam Qala border post near the western Afghan city of Herat has been the scene of a bloody gun battle between Taliban fighters and Iranian border guards in recent days. Two people are said to have been killed, including an Iranian soldier. The Taliban apparently also used weapons from former US stocks, such as the HMMWV armored vehicle.
The Iranian authorities only confirmed the incident on Saturday without giving any information about the victims. Both sides accused each other of having fired the first shots. “One person was killed on each side,” the Taliban Interior Ministry spokesman said on Twitter. The situation in the southwestern province of Nimros is under control, it was said at the weekend. “The Islamic Emirate does not want a war with its neighbor,” said the spokesman, who used the Taliban government’s name for Afghanistan.
dispute over water
Tehran and Kabul maintain diplomatic relations, but Iran does not recognize the government in Afghanistan. Relations were recently tense because of a dispute over water. Last week, Iran asked Afghanistan to respect its “water rights.” Tehran accused Kabul of using a dam in Afghanistan to limit the amount of water flowing into a lake on the shared border.
The Helmand River flows from the mountains of the central Afghan province of the same name over a distance of more than 1,000 kilometers into Lake Hamun. Afghanistan blames climatic factors for the reduced amount of water. Iran insists that its share was agreed by both countries in a 1973 treaty and is demanding that the Taliban honor the deal. Tehran said last week that it would take action to resolve the conflict.
