The Afghan forces clashed with Taliban militants on Friday after the forces launched an operation to retake Spin Boldak, a key border crossing with Pakistan.

"Afghan forces are fighting Taliban militants who have taken shelter in civilian homes," said Jamal Nasir Barakzai, the spokesperson to the Kandahar provincial police.

Reuters Photographer Killed in Kandahar

Reuters reported that journalist Danish Siddiqui was killed Friday "while covering a clash between Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters near a border crossing with Pakistan."

Afghan media reported last Wednesday that the Taliban took control of the key border crossing, Spin Boldak, and detained dozens of military officers and civilians.

The border crossing leads to the Pakistani province of Balochistan, which is known to house part of the Taliban command Quetta, where the movement's wounded receive treatment.

The crossing also links landlocked Afghanistan with the road leading to the Pakistani Karachi port on the Arabian Sea, its only gateway to the ocean.

"It is the most important corridor as a large portion of the trading between Pakistan and Afghanistan take place there," said Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, the spokesperson for the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He added that more than 20,000 people cross it daily.

Chaudri added, "The livelihood of many people depends on it," stressing the importance of re-opening the border crossing as soon as possible after closing it due to the Taliban taking control of it.