QUETTA – Twelve criminals and three tribesmen were killed in a gunbattle between Levies Force and armed men in Chagai district of Balochistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan on Friday.According to Levies Force officials, a group of armed men after killing the son of a local tribesman in Chagai fled to the mountains, in Zardgan area of Chagai district and took positions.Levies Force personnel went for hot pursuit of the attackers and surrounded the area where they had taken positions. Seeing Levies, the criminals opened indiscriminate firing on Levies Force with sophisticated weapons. About 12 criminals were killed when Levies Force personnel retaliated with full force while three tribesmen who were assisting Levies Force were also killed in the battle, officials said. When contacted Deputy Commissioner Chagai, Tufail Baloch confirmed the incident and said that 12 most wanted criminals who were involved in different crimes, including the murder of a son of a local tribesman were killed in the fighting with Levies Force. ‘Levies personnel also recovered weapons and vehicles of criminals’, he added.Sources said that the firing between the criminals and Levies Forcs continued for about 12 hours while heavy weapons were used in the incident. ‘The action has finished and the situation is now completely under control’, DC Chagai told TheNation.Sources said that the accused killed in the action belonged to Panjgour, Chagai and Nushki districts while their two accomplices were also killed the other day in fighting.