Pakistani strikes hit Afghanistan, truce 'broken': Taliban official

Kabul: Pakistan carried out strikes in a border province in Afghanistan late Friday, breaking a ceasefire that had brought two days of calm to the border, a senior Taliban official told AFP, warning that Kabul would "retaliate."

"Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika" province, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Afghanistan will retaliate."

Dozens of soldiers and civilians on both sides have been killed since the clashes began nearly a week ago, with explosions also heard in the Afghan capital Kabul.

The 48-hour truce was announced on Wednesday, with Pakistan indicating that it would last until Friday evening. But officials have not said what will once the ceasefire expires.

Afghanistan said on Wednesday that the truce would endure unless Pakistan violated it, without confirming that the deal had a 48-hour limit.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Thursday that for the truce to endure, the ball was "in the court" of the Taliban government.

"If in 48 hours they want to resolve the issues and address our genuine demands, then we are ready for them," Sharif told his cabinet.

Security issues have been at the heart of resurgent tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Pakistan, facing a rise in attacks on its security forces, has accused Afghanistan of harbouring terrorist groups, a claim that Kabul denies.