ISLAMABAD — Seven soldiers of Pakistan Army and five militants were killed during a security operation in South Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said military.

Pakistan military's media wing Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) affirmed Wednesday that seven soldiers and five "terrorists" were killed during an intelligence-based operation in the Asman Manza area of South Waziristan.

The operation was launched on intelligence about the presence of terrorists in the area. "During intense exchange of fire, 5 terrorists were killed and 7 soldiers embraced shahadat (martyrdom)," said the ISPR.

The security forces cordoned off the area and began a search operation "to eliminate any other terrorists" found in the area, the statement added.

The fighting took place during an intel-based operation in the country’s South Waziristan region, the site of several military operations and US drone strikes targeting homegrown and foreign militants.

A spokesman for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militant group claimed the fighting took place on Tuesday. “Our Mujahideen fought bravely with Pakistan army’s soldiers on Tuesday night and killed nine of them,” Muhammad Khurasani said in a statement.

Earlier this month, at least four Frontier Corps members were killed and 18 others injured in a suicide attack near a check post in the southwestern Quetta city.

Also, two Pakistani soldiers were killed and another was seriously hurt when unidentified gunmen opened fire on their convoy in the country's restive Balochistan province.

The Frontier Corps South soldiers were attacked in the mountainous Buleda area of Kech district on Friday. The soldiers returned fire but the attackers managed to escape, officials said.

The martyred soldiers were a Lance Naik and a Sepoy. The injured soldier was taken to a nearby health center. Balochistan has been facing low-level violence by the TTP rebels and Baloch nationalists in recent months. — Agencies