Tunisia forces kill gang members in shootout-agency

TUNIS, Jan 3 (Reuters) Tunisia said its security forces shot dead members of a criminal gang today and one report said 25 criminals were killed.

A government communique revealing the rare serious breach in security made no mention of a death toll, saying only that the incident resulted from a hunt for ''dangerous criminals'' who clashed with police in the capital city of Tunis on December 23.

But a security source said: ''Twenty-five people were killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in the town of Slimane.'' Slimane is 30 km (20 miles) south of Tunis.

Government officials in the north African country could not immediately be reached for comment on the report.

In last month's clash, two gang members were killed and two policemen wounded, the authorities said at the time. Newspapers at the time reported that the gang was trafficking in drugs.

''The security forces today tracked down the remaining elements of the group which led to an exchange of fire. In the course of this clash the elements of the group were killed,'' the statement said.

Residents said security had been sharply stepped up in Tunis in the days following the December 23 clash, with police increasing the number of checkpoints and searching vehicles with unusuial rigour.

REUTERS PB BD2336