KABUL, 15 July 2021, (TON): Taliban on Wednesday said they have gained control over an important trade route linking Pakistan with southern Afghanistan, hours after Afghan forces surrendered the critical transit point to the Islamist hardline insurgent group.

Afghan government officials were not immediately available to confirm the fall of a town in Spin Boldak district in Kandahar province situated next to the Durand Line border with Pakistan.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesperson in a statement said "the Mujahideen have captured an important border town called Wesh in Kandahar."

He said "with this, the important road between (Spin) Boldak and Chaman and Kandahar customs have come under Mujahideen control.”

Afghan government data shows about 900 trucks cross the frontier each day, linking Pakistan with Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asian nations.Shafiqullah Attai, the chairman of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment in capital city of Kabul, said the Taliban in recent weeks have taken control of Islam Qala and Turghundi in Herat province, ShirKhan Bandar in Kunduz and Abu Naser Farahi border port in Farah province.