Pakistan says 24 militants killed in north-west operation

Pakistan's military says it has killed 24 militants belonging to the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in an operation in the north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as security forces step up operations following a recent surge in violence.

In a statement issued on July 17, the military said the militants were killed over the past 24 hours and that weapons and ammunition were seized during the operation, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The reported casualty figures could not be independently verified.

The announcement comes after a recent militant attack in the Bannu district, which has been among a series of incidents contributing to heightened security concerns in the region.

In a separate statement, the military said security forces were also carrying out a large-scale operation in the south-western province of Balochistan, where several militants had recently been killed.

Pakistan has witnessed a rise in militant violence in recent months, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, both of which border Afghanistan.

Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of providing support to the TTP and has carried out strikes in border areas. The Afghan authorities have denied those allegations.

The TTP, a militant group distinct from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, has been blamed for a sharp increase in deadly attacks across Pakistan in recent years.