Rawalpindi, May 4 (IANS): Six soldiers of the Pakistan Army were killed and three terrorists were eliminated in a fierce gunfight that broke out in a remote part of the mountainous North Waziristan district, the Pak military said on Thursday.

A statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military's media wing, read: "A fire exchange took place between terrorists and our own troops in general area Dirduni, North Waziristan district," Geo News reported.

The military wing's statement added that any other terrorists in the area were being rooted out.

"Sanitisation of the area is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area," it said.

The statement concluded with a resolve to ensure that terrorism is eliminated from the country, Geo News reported.

"The security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve," the ISPR statement said.

Last week, three soldiers of the Pakistan Army were killed in three separate encounters with terrorists in different parts of Lakki Marwat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

An ISPR statement said that on the night of April 27-28, security forces repulsed three attacks by terrorists on different locations within a short span of time in Lakki Marwat district.

A motorcycle-borne suicide bomber exploded himself near a security post in the district followed by a fierce fire exchange between the troops and terrorists, it added, Geo News reported.

The two other encounters occurred in the Amir Kalam and Tajbi Khel areas of the district, in which three more terrorists, including terrorist commander Musa Khan, were eliminated.