Pakistani airstrikes kill nine in Afghanistan, Taliban say

KABUL, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan hit three houses on Thursday, killing nine people, the Afghan Taliban government said, while Islamabad said the strikes killed 22 "terrorists" after targeting their hideouts.

The airstrikes mark an escalation in fighting between the neighbours after three months of relative calm.

Those killed in the strikes on Afghanistan's Kunar and Helmand provinces included women and children, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on social media website X, adding that 11 people were also injured.

"We condemn this act as an aggression and crime in violation of all accepted principles," he said.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said at least 10 civilians were killed in the strikes, most of them children, and nine others were injured.

Pakistan's information ministry said the strikes were based on "credible intelligence" and targeted terrorist hideouts at two locations.

"Targets were destroyed with precision and initial reports suggest killing of 22 terrorists," it said in a statement on X.

"Large quantities of weapons and ammunition stored at these hideouts were also destroyed," it said.

Reuters could not independently verify the information.

A militant attack on a police facility in northwestern Pakistan last month, which killed 24 people, rekindled tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which in February had engaged in their worst fighting in years.

The allies-turned-foes have increasingly been at odds over militancy, with Islamabad accusing Kabul ofharbouring militants who stage cross-border attacks.

The Taliban government denies the charge and says militancy is Pakistan's internal problem.

Islamabad has conducted multiple airstrikes on Afghanistan over the last two weeks, which it said hit terror camps and killedmilitants.

Kabul has said the strikes killed civilians.

Afghanistan's defence ministry said on Sunday its forces had killed 28 fighters and wounded 32 after a group it said included Islamic State militants crossed from Pakistan.

Islamabad had rejected the allegations.

(Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul and Rick Noack in Islamabad; Writing by Devika Nair and Sakshi Dayal; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Stephen Coates and Gareth Jones)