Pakistani security forces killed 11 militants in two separate operations on Saturday. The raids took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Five militants were killed in South Waziristan. Security forces carried out an intelligence-based operation against hideouts. Weapons and ammunition were recovered.

Six more were killed in the Gorandhar-Mashkel area of Balochistan. Security sources said the militants opened fire on a checkpost and tried to flee. The forces responded and killed them.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the forces. He said the nation stands with them in the fight against terrorism.

Pakistani security sources described the militants as India-backed. They used the labels Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan. These are Pakistani official terms, and the claims could not be independently verified.

Pakistan has seen a sharp rise in militant attacks. An Islamabad think tank recorded 225 attacks in September, the highest in 12 years. That was up 13 percent from August.