Peshawar | Pakistani security forces gunned down eight militants during an intelligence-based operation in the country's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military's media wing has said.

Two children caught in the crossfire were also killed during the operation on Wednesday, the Inter-Service Public Relations said in a statement.

The forces shot dead the terrorists on Wednesday during an operation after a tip-off was received about the presence of the militants in the Zangara area of the South Waziristan district, the statement said.

Two children were killed after they were caught in the crossfire between the law enforcers and the terrorists. Two soldiers were also injured during the operation.

Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the possession of those killed, the statement said.

Pakistan's government has stepped up its offensive against militants following a spike in terror attacks.

Last week, six terrorists were killed in an intelligence-based operation in the Datta Khel area of the tribal North Waziristan district bordering Afghanistan. Arms and ammunition were recovered from the militants' possession.

According to the Express Tribune newspaper, Pakistani security forces have killed more than 150 terrorists and arrested at least 1,007 terrorists in 6,921 operations during the last three months.

At least 1,960 operations were conducted in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, out of which 1,516 were area-domination operations, 301 were intelligence-based operations, and 143 were area-sanitisation operations, the report said.