Afghan government says it has retaken Pakistan border crossing from Taliban

A senior Afghan government official said that the government forces had retaken control of a major border crossing with Pakistan from Taliban. However, Taliban dismissed the claim saying that they still control the border crossing.

Taliban fighters captured the Spin Boldak-Chaman border crossing on Wednesday, the second most important crossing on the border with Pakistan and a major source of revenue for the Western-backed government in Kabul.

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But Afghan forces retook the area's main market, the customs department and other government installations in the border town a few hours later on Wednesday, as per the government officials in Kandahar province.

Government forces, who had initially fallen back to minimise civilian and security personnel losses, were conducting clearing operations, the official said.

However, the official has warned that threat remained high since Taliban fighter outnumber government forces in the area.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his forces still held the border post.

"It is merely propaganda and a baseless claim by the Kabul administration," he told Reuters.

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Pakistan, worried about a spillover of fighting, had shut its side of the border at the second busiest border crossing on the main commercial artery between the second Afghan city of Kandahar and Pakistani ports.

Clashes between the Taliban and government forces have intensified as U.S.-led international forces have been withdrawing and the Taliban have captured several districts and other border crossings in the north and west.

(With inputs from agencies)