KABUL, March 26 (Xinhua) -- A key border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan was reopened Thursday afternoon to allow the return of Afghan migrants from Pakistan, according to a spokesperson for the Afghan border police.
"Currently, only migrants and their families are permitted to pass through this route," Abidullah Farooqi posted on his X account.
The Torkham border crossing had been closed to migrant traffic for nearly a month amid escalating border tensions between the two neighboring countries. Commercial transit across the border, however, has remained suspended for several months.
The reopening marks a limited easing of restrictions, allowing stranded Afghan migrants to return home, while broader trade and travel routes remain unresolved.
According to Afghanistan's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, more than 3 million Afghan refugees, most of them from Iran and Pakistan, have returned to their homeland over the past year. ■