Pakistan air strikes in an eastern border region of Afghanistan killed 46 civilians, the Taliban government said on Wednesday, whilst a Pakistan security official said the bombardment had targeted "terrorist hideouts."

The strikes were the latest spike in hostilities on the frontier between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with tensions escalating since the Taliban seized power in 2021.

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that late on Tuesday Pakistan bombarded four areas in the Barmal district of eastern Paktika province.

"The total number of dead is 46, most of whom were children and women," he said, adding that six more people were wounded, mostly children.

Neither Pakistan's foreign ministry nor its military have responded to a request for comment.

But a senior Pakistan security official said the strikes were on "terrorist hideouts" using jets and drones and that they killed at least 20 militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the country's homegrown Taliban group.

"Arguments from Afghan officials claiming civilians are being harmed are baseless and misleading," he added, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A Taliban defence ministry statement late on Tuesday condemned the strikes, calling them "barbaric" and a "clear aggression." (AFP)