There is deep schism with the Taliban. Some fighters and influential commanders are asking why having fought so long and hard and having achieving victory; hasn't the Talib leadership carried out all it pledged to do? Then there is another group which contends that the Taliban has to portray itself as more progressive and moderate in order to be in a more favorable position with the outside word.
On another matter there have been a spate of clashes between the Afghans and Pakistanis along the common border.
The Pakistanis are building a border fence along the 2,640km (1,640-mile) land border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, known as the Durand Line. The fence "
... consists of two sets of chain-link fences, separated by a 2-metre (6-foot) space filled with concertina wire coils. The double-fence, which is 3.6 metres high (11 feet) on the Pakistani side and 4 metres high (13 feet) on the Afghan side, is fitted with surveillance cameras and infrared detectors. Moreover, nearly 1,000 forts are also being constructed along the border to increase security. Cross-border movement will only be allowed through 16 formally designated crossing points after the completion of the project, which is expected to cost more than $500m in total."
The border barrier will decrease the number of cross-border attacks, but more needs to be done to secure the region.
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The Afghan Taliban have prevented the Pakistan Army from building the border fence in one area and that appears to be the current cause of the friction between the, resulting in mortar fire across the border. Problem is the border is disputed and has been for about 150 years because of the British who drew a line on a map. The border cuts through ethnic communities and areas who regard themselves as being Afghan, not Indian. The area was the North West Frontier of British colonial India. Pakistan has unilaterally fenced the border because of being so porous giving cause to continued security concerns.
Taliban soldiers in Afghanistan disrupted the erecting of a security fence by the Pakistani military along the border between the two countries, Afghan officials said on Wednesday.
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