ISLAMABAD, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Seven soldiers and 10 terrorists were killed in an operation in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said on Saturday.

During the operation, security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in Lower Dir district of the province on reported presence of terrorists, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said in a statement.

During the conduct of the operation, 10 terrorists and seven soldiers were killed in an intense exchange of fire, the ISPR statement said.

A clearance operation is being carried out to eliminate the presence of other terrorists from the area.

The security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country, said the ISPR. ■