One Afghan civilian was killed and two Iranian policemen were wounded when the countries' border forces traded gunfire in western Afghanistan, interior ministry said on Sunday. ( dpa )
The clash erupted after four Iranian border police vehicles crossed the border in western Nimruz province on Saturday afternoon and claimed that some land in Puli Abreshim was part of Iranian territory, interior ministry said in a statement.
Afghan police arrived at the scene and surrounded the area, the statement said, adding that the Iranian border police forces opened fire while escaping and killed an Afghan school teacher in the area.
Two Iranian policemen were also wounded in the retaliation fire, it said.
"The claimed land has been in procession of Haji Abdul Rahman for the past tens of years, who has legal document from Afghan government and has been using it as agricultural plot," it said.
Afghanistan has also clashed several times in the past with neighbouring Pakistani forces over territory dispute since the creation of the Western-back government in late 2001.
The rigid border between Afghanistan and Iran is commonly used for drug trafficking, while Afghans also cross the border illegally into Iran in search of employment.