Threats from the Pakistani military along some parts of the border and the cross-border movements of insurgents are worrying challenges, head of the Afghanistan Border Police said Tuesday.
"It's clear that the challenge [of cross-border movement of insurgents] has existed since long. They go into Pakistan and organize," said Gul Nabi Ahmadzai, the border police chief.
Shelling from Pakistani troops into Afghan villages along the border has been a pressing issue over the last few years. But Afghan border police officials now say they are retaliating against these strikes.
"The Border Police has retaliated strongly and the Pakistanis know this. This is quite clear to all the media," said Wali Khan Shinwari, head of the Border Police forces in the east.
Border Police officials say they are faced with a shortage of equipment and intelligence capabilities, but insist they are capable of meeting the challenges along the border.
"Capacity has increased and readiness to meet future challenges has improved," said Mohammad Tafsir Khogiani, head of the Border Police forces in the south.
Afghanistan shares its longest border with Pakistan. The long, porous border has always served as points of transit for insurgents and illegal cargo. Effective patrolling of the long border will be critical to reducing insurgent capacity and strengthening peace.