Wesh–Chaman border crossing

U.S. Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of the International Security Assistance Force at the time, is meeting with Pakistani army Lt. Gen. Khalid Wynne, commander of Southern Command, at the Friendship Gate border crossing, in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan.

The Wesh–Chaman border crossing is one of the major international border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Located on the Pak-Afghan border, it leads north from the town of Chaman, Balochistan into Wesh in Spin Boldak, Kandahar province. More generally, it links the two provincial capitals: Quetta and Kandahar.

A brick, double-arched Friendship Gate, rising three stories tall, was erected in 2003. The gate facing towards Balochistan bears the words "Proud Pakistani" and "Pakistan First".[1][2][3] Its official hours run from morning to sunset, though smuggling may continue at night.[3]

United States military presence

The Wesh-Chaman border crossing has been used by international forces (ISAF) in Afghanistan as part of a major supply route stretching from the Port of Karachi to Kandahar,[4] with roughly 60 to 100 trucks traversing Chaman daily.[1] On January 18, 2010, ISAF commander General Stanley A. McChrystal visited the site after discussing the crossing's efficiency with Pakistani authorities.[5][6] A US-run Forward operating base (FOB) is located in Spin Boldak, which monitors the border crossing along with the Afghan Border Police and the Afghan National Army.

References

  1. 1 2 Mekhennet, Souad; Oppel, Richard A. (2010-02-04). "Even Where Pakistani Law Exists, Taliban Find a Porous Border". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
  2. ↑ Rizvi, Muddassir (2003-12-09). "Suspicion of Pakistan runs deep". Asia Times Online. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
  3. 1 2 Giovanni, Janine Di (2008-06-10). "Pakistan's Phantom Border". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2010-02-05. Note: Photograph of gate by Alex Majoli on p. 1 of story; account of visit on p. 5.
  4. ↑ Roggio, Bill (2009-09-09). "Chaman border crossing closed to NATO traffic". The Long War Journal. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
  5. ↑ "US troops surge in Afghanistan: McChrystal inspects Chaman point to quicken equipment shipments". Pakistan Observer. 2010-01-20. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
  6. ↑ "McChrystal visits Chaman border". The Nation. 2010-01-19. Retrieved 2010-02-05.

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