QUETTA, Feb 27: Twelve passengers including women and children of a Loralai-bound coach were kidnapped by unknown armed men near Chambiza area and one abductor was killed in a shootout.

The Levies staff in Loralai told this correspondent by telephone that an armed group at 6am on Friday stopped a passenger bus near Chambiza at gunpoint and kidnapped 12 persons including women and children.

The sources said that about 50 passengers were travelling in the bus but the criminals kidnapped 12 of them and rushed towards the mountains. The district administration on receipt of information dashed the Frontier corps and Balochistan reserve police to Alambar where the firing between armed men and law enforcement agencies continued for several hours but taking the advantage of darkness the kidnappers escaped in the hills.