Afghan and Pakistani delegations head to Qatari capital Doha hoping to defuse the deadliest crisis between them in several years, after more than a week of fighting killed dozens of people and injured hundreds on both sides.

The Taliban government said the Afghan delegation included the defence minister and the head of the national intelligence agency. A Pakistani delegation was due to depart on Saturday, the national broadcaster PTV had said a day earlier without giving further details.

Each country says it is responding to aggression from the other. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harbouring militants who carry out attacks in border areas, a charge rejected by the Taliban.

Regional powers including Saudi Arabia and Qatar call for calm as the violence threatens to further destabilise a

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