Pakistan's army said on Sunday that four soldiers and four terrorists were killed in a clash in the country's northwest tribal district of North Waziristan.

A statement from the army's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations, said that four terrorists were killed in an intelligence-based operation against terrorists' hideout conducted in Vezhda Sar area of the district on Sunday morning.

"As soon as the troops cordoned off the area, terrorists opened fire. All dug out terrorists were shot down by security forces," according to the statement.

In the exchange of fire, four soldiers were also killed, the statement added, without mentioning to which group the terrorists belong.

The tribal areas of the country used to be the hotbed of militancy, but after successful operations launched by the security forces, the number of terrorist attacks had been sharply reduced and peace had been restored in the areas, though sporadic attacks still happen in the area.