At least 23 terrorists and 22 Pakistani Army men were killed during counterterrorism operations in the South Asian country's Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the past 24 hours, media reports said.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, a security operation was launched following a terrorist attack in Kalat as part of ongoing efforts to eliminate terror threats in Balochistan, reported Dawn News.

Pakistani security forces also conducted operation in Harnai district.

ISPR claimed 11 terrorists were killed in the district and multiple hideouts were dismantled.

The security forces reportedly thwarted an attempt by terrorist forces to establish roadblocks in the Mangochar area of the Kalat district.

The military said that 18 paramilitaries lost their lives as they responded to terrorists, while 12 attackers were killed, reported Dawn News.

The banned Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the Mangochar attack, according to a statement issued by a spokesman of the outlawed organisation as quoted by the newspaper.

Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir visits Balochistan

Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir on Saturday visited Balochistan and attended the funeral prayers for the killed security force personnel.

“No matter what these so called 'frenemies' may do, you will surely be defeated by the resilience of our proud nation and its Armed Forces Inshallah,” the ISPR quoted COAS as saying, reported The Nation.

Pakistan has witnessed a spike in terror attacks ever since the banned militant Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan group broke a fragile ceasefire agreement with the government.

2024 was one of the deadliest years in Pakistan when at least 685 members of security forces died amid a total of 444 terror attacks reported in the country.

Equally alarming were the cumulative losses of civilians and security personnel: 1,612 fatalities, accounting for over 63pc of the total recorded this year and marking 73pc more losses compared to 934 outlaws eliminated, reported Dawn News.