KARACHI, Pakistan — The Pakistan army announced Saturday that it killed at least 30 suspected militants during a series of security operations in the northwest region.

The operations, conducted in the Karak, Lakki Marwat, and Khyber districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, also left six militants injured, according to an official statement.

Eighteen militants were killed in Lakki Marwat, eight in Karak, and four in Khyber, the military said.

Weapons and ammunition were seized from the militants, who were reportedly involved in numerous terror activities targeting security forces and civilians in the area.

The region, which borders Afghanistan, has experienced heightened militant activity.

Pakistan faced a significant surge in terrorist attacks in 2024, recording a 40% increase compared to 2023.

Last year was the deadliest in nine years, with 444 terror attacks claiming the lives of 685 security personnel and 927 civilians, according to the Center for Research and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based think tank. — Agencies