KARACHI, Pakistan
Pakistan army Wednesday said it has killed 13 militants in two separate operations in the country's northwest.
In the first "intelligence based" operation, 10 militants were killed on Monday in Khyber tribal district of northwestern Khyber Phaktunkhwa province, which borders neighboring Afghanistan, a statement from the military said.
Another three militants were killed in a separate engagement on the same day in Bannu district.
"Security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country," the statement added.
Pakistan has seen an uptick in militant attacks in recent years, for which it blames "Afghanistan-based" militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Kabul denies the charge.
Pakistan saw a significant decrease in number of combat-related fatalities in March, although militant groups increased the frequency of their activities, according to data released by Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based think tank.
A total of 331 people were killed in March compared to 506 in February, whereas146 militant attacks were recorded during the month compared to 83 in February.
Suicide attacks dropped from five in February to just one in March.