The Pakistan army said it has killed at least 30 suspected militants in a string of security operations in the country's northwest.

In three operations in the Karak, Lakki Marwat and Khyber districts of northwestern Khyber Phaktunkhwa province, which serves as a gateway to Afghanistan, six militants were also injured, it said in a statement on Saturday.

Eighteen suspected militants were killed in Lakki Marwat, while eight and four were killed in Karak and Khyber, respectively.

Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the militants, who remained actively involved in "numerous" terror activities in the area against security forces as well as killing innocent civilians, said the military.

Pakistan saw an alarming surge in incidents of terrorism in 2024, with a 40 percent increase in terror attacks compared to 2023, marking the deadliest year for the country in nine years

It recorded 444 terror attacks that killed 685 soldiers and police officers, and 927 civilians in 2024, according to Islamabad-based think tank, the Center for Research and Security Studies.

Security forces killed 934 suspected militants last year.