The Taliban says that it has taken control of a major border crossing with Pakistan. The group announced on Wednesday that it had captured the border crossing of Spin Boldak, something the Afghan Interior Ministry has denied. Pakistani officials confirmed to Reuters and Al Jazeera that the Taliban is in charge at the crossing, however. Residents near the border also told Al Jazeera that the area was full of Taliban fighters.
Travel through the crossing has been halted as Pakistan has sealed the crossing, according to the reports. Controlling the crossing could provide revenue for the Taliban, which has seized control of several such crossings in recent weeks.
The capture of the border crossing comes as the United States continues its troop pullout from Afghanistan, set to be completed by the end of August.