Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Five Pakistani soldiers were killed on Monday during an exchange of fire with terrorists in North Waziristan.

The Inter-Services Publication Relations (ISPR) said that they were killed in the Boyya area of North Waziristan. "During the conduct of the Intelligence Based Operation (IBO), intense fire exchange took place between own troops and terrorists," a brief statement issued by the military's media wing read, reported Geo News.

"Currently, sanitisation of the area is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area," ISPR added.

"Own troops effectively engaged the terrorists' location; resultantly, four terrorists were killed," the military's media wing said, adding that weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists.

The ISPR stated that the killed terrorists remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces and the killing of innocent citizens, reported Geo News.

The incidents of attacks on police have been rising in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistani authorities have strengthened security at all the checkpoints and relieved the personnel responsible for security lapses.

Earlier on August 15, security forces killed a terrorist during an Intelligence Based Operation in the Mir Ali area of the North Waziristan district. In a statement, ISPR said that during the operation in the Mir Ali area an intense fire exchange took place between the security forces and terrorists, resulting in the killing of a terrorist.

Earlier in June, a Pakistani soldier was killed when terrorists targeted security forces in the North Waziristan district of the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

"On night June 1-2, terrorists fired at a military post in general area Datta Khel, North Waziristan District," the statement added.

During intense exchange of fire, a young soldier who was 28 years old lost his life. Actions had been carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area, said the statement. Hamid Ali, 28 was a resident of Sargodha city in Pakistan's Punjab province.

In a similar incident, on May 23, two Pakistani soldiers died in an attack carried out by terrorists at a check post in North Waziristan, local media reported. "On May 23, terrorists carried out a fire raid on a military post in general area Mir Ali, North Waziristan District. Troops initiated a prompt response," said the ISPR statement. During an exchange of fire, Sepoy Zahoor Khan (20) and Sepoy Rahim Gul (23) died.

Earlier on April 15, seven Pakistan Army soldiers died after terrorists ambushed a military convoy near the Afghanistan border in North Waziristan.

The military's media wing had said terrorists ambushed a vehicle of security forces in the Isham area of the tribal district on April 14. The troops promptly retaliated by effectively engaging the attackers. And in the encounter, four terrorists were killed.

Recently, terrorist activities have increased in Pakistan border areas, especially in the North Waziristan district, according to the country's vernacular media.

The rise in the number of terrorist attacks has been costing the lives of several Pakistani soldiers. Reportedly, these militants have their bases in Afghanistan. They enter Pakistan from Afghanistan and after launching attacks on the former, retreat to their bases in Afghanistan.

Further, terrorist organizations like the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have also been working from the Afghan bases, planning attacks against Pakistan.

A total of 105 army personnel lost lives in such terrorist attacks within the first three months of this year, recording 97 soldiers and army officers, according to Pakistan Vernacular Media.