Iranian forces kill at least 18 drug smugglers

Tehran: At least 18 drug smugglers and armed men have been killed by Iranian security forces near the border with Afghanistan, Iranian media said on Tuesday.

Iran's Fars News Agency said the clash occurred on Monday and that 24 people were killed.

This is the latest such incident in the area this month.

Iranian state television kept the death toll at 18 and showed supposed footage of dead gunmen lying on the ground in a hilly area.

The men were seemingly killed near the city of Taibad in Khorasan Razavi province.

Last week security forces killed 12 drug traffickers and seized 500kg of drugs in two separate operations.