Islamabad: Casualties in militant attacks in Pakistan have slightly increased during the month of April, though the number of such assaults remained the same as compared to March, according to figures by an Islamabad-based think tank.

According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), militants appear to be trying to get back some territory in North Waziristan tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where most of these violent activities were recorded in April, Dawn news reported on Saturday.

The alarming situation in North Waziristan can be gauged from the fact that 90 per cent of casualties in violent incidents during the month of April took place in this district.

PICSS recorded a total of nine militant attacks during April in which 18 people died — 10 security personnel and eight militants — while six security forces personnel got injured.

Tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa witnessed the highest number of violent militant activities, where six out of total nine attacks took place.

Two militant attacks were reported in Balochistan and one in Sindh.

No militant activity was recorded in Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan occupied Kashmir, and other parts of Pakistan, but an incident of kidnapping took place in Karachi, where a 39-year-old Chinese national was abducted, Dawn news reported citing the think tank as saying.

Meanwhile, Pakistani security forces carried out a total of 16 actions against militants in areas of Balochistan, Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa, and Sindh.

Pakistani forces arrested 12 suspects involved in different terror and anti-state activities (IANS).