KARACHI, Pakistan

At least 65 suspected militants were killed in airstrikes carried out by Pakistani military in remote northern parts of the country Monday, the military announced.

The strikes were mainly carried out in the restive North Waziristan tribal agency and Khyber Agency, the military public relations wing ISPR said Monday.

Some 40 suspected militants were also killed in airstrikes in Shawal Valley on Sunday, hours after a suicide attack killed 15 people, including the home minister of northeastern Punjab province.

North Waziristan, one of seven semi-autonomous tribal areas in Pakistan, has been a battleground between the army and Taliban since June 2014, when the army launched a full-scale operation that has so far killed around 3,000 suspected militants.