At least 18 paramilitary soldiers and 24 armed attackers have been killed in two related incidents in southwestern Pakistan, according to officials and local media reports, as sectarian, ethnic and separatist violence escalates in the region.

Eighteen paramilitary soldiers and 24 militants were killed in fighting in south-western Pakistan, the military's media wing said in a statement on Saturday.

Pakistan's military says 18 troops and 12 separatist rebels killed in fighting in Baluchistan province. Got a question? Put a reporter on it. Ever think of a question that you wish someone would answer?

Pakistan's military says its forces have raided a militant hideout in a former stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban in the restive northwest, triggering an intense shootout in which two soldiers and six militants were killed.

Eighteen paramilitary personnel were killed and three others seriously wounded in an ambush in Balochistan, Pakistan.

At least 18 security personnel and 12 terrorists were killed in a clash in Balochistan, Pakistan, when terrorists attempted to establish roadblocks. The military thwarted their plans, ensuring the security of locals.