AKIPRESS.COM - Pakistan closed its main border crossing with Afghanistan and imposed a de facto curfew Monday after overnight clashes, including an exchange of gunfire, between the countries’ border security forces, according to Los Angeles Times.

One Afghan guard was killed and a total of 22 people were wounded, officials said.

Residents of the border town of Landi Kotal in Pakistan said that after the security forces exchanged heavy fire, the local administration warned them early Monday to remain indoors.

Pakistani authorities also closed the immigration and customs offices at Torkham, the main border crossing, and sent in reinforcements of paramilitary forces.

The clashes began Sunday evening when Pakistani officials began installing a security fence about 30 yards inside their territory. The fence is part of increased security measures that Pakistan says will better regulate the movement of people between the countries and curb infiltration by militants and criminals.

Gen. Zarawar Zahid, police chief of Nangarhar, Afghanistan, said one Afghan security officer was killed and six were wounded. He said Pakistani forces opened fire after the Afghans asked them to stop working on the fence, which he claimed is located on no-man's land.

Afghanistan does not recognize the present boundary, the so-called Durand Line, as an international border, and has denounced Pakistan's plans to erect a fence at the crossing.

The Afghan government has called on Pakistan to ease some border controls to facilitate the movement of refugees. Pakistan hosts about 1.5 million documented Afghan refugees in addition to more than 1 million who do not have legal status.

Pakistani officials said they had informed Afghan border police of the fence installation in advance. A statement from the Pakistani military accused Afghanistan of “unprovoked firing” into Pakistani territory.

Officials said the movement of visitors from Afghanistan to Pakistan has drastically decreased since Islamabad began installing fences at Torkham about two months ago. The move came after a January attack on a university in Charsadda, in northern Pakistan, that left at least 21 people dead. Pakistan says militants involved in the attack entered the country from Afghanistan via Torkham.

Between 1,000 and 2,000 travelers with visas have been entering Pakistan daily from Afghanistan, down from the 15,000 to 25,000 who crossed via Torkham previously, according to officials.