Afghanistan, April 2 -- A new Pakistani security report says conflict-related deaths in the country dropped sharply in March, even as Islamabad expanded military operations across the border into Afghanistan.
The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies said 331 people were killed in security incidents and conflict in March, down from 506 deaths recorded in February, marking a 35 percent decline. The think tank linked the drop to Pakistan's cross-border military campaign, known as Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, which began in late February.
According to the report, the military operation targeted what Pakistan described as militant positions and support infrastructure inside Afghanistan. However, the Taliban have repeatedly rejecte...