ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan had its deadliest year in over a decade in 2025, with combat-related deaths surging 74%, according to a new report from an independent think tank. The report, released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, said militants accounted for more than half of the 3,413 deaths. Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been high since October, following border clashes. The report notes a 124% rise in militant deaths from 2024, reflecting intensive counterterrorism operations against the Pakistani Taliban. Suicide bombings and the use of U.S. military equipment left behind in Afghanistan have increased militants’ operational capabilities.