At least 13 people were killed, including 11 children, after Pakistan's military launched air strikes in three Afghan provinces, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on Wednesday, in a renewal of a conflict that has killed hundreds this year.
At least 14 others - all of them children and women - were injured in Islamabad's strikes that violated Afghanistan's airspace and bombed civilian homes in the provinces of Kunar, Khost, and Paktika, Mujahid added.
Security officials told Reuters that Islamabad has carried out air strikes in what they called "hideouts and other facilities of the Pakistani militants, using them against Pakistan."
Later, the Pakistani Information Mininster announced that the military had conducted strikes on hideouts on the Afghan border, killing at least 26 militants.
Taliban denies claims of harboring militants
Islamabad has blamed Kabul for harboring militants that it says plot attacks in Pakistan. The Taliban has denied the allegations and said militancy in Pakistan is an internal problem.
The renewed violence threatens to disturb a long lull in fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan, allies-turned-foes who fought their worst battle in years in February.
The two countries agreed to a fragile ceasefire in March, with China trying to mediate a settlement to the conflict.