The Pakistani army said it had killed 50 militants near the border with neighboring Afghanistan in the past four days. The clashes took place in the restive southwestern region of Balochistan, a key hub for China's "One Belt, One Road" infrastructure projects, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
The operation, which began on Thursday, is aimed at militants and separatists fighting for control of natural resources in the area, the army said in a statement.
According to local authorities, about 20,000 families, more than 50,000 people, have fled their homes due to the military operations. Residents said the army, backed by helicopters, had attacked militant hideouts in mountainous areas along the Afghan border.
The police chief in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province confirmed the operation was ongoing.
The Pakistani Taliban, which is close to the Taliban in Afghanistan, is considered a separatist organization. Many of its leaders and fighters sought refuge in Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power there in 2021, the Associated Press reported.