Africa News
At least 17 killed in pre-poll anti-terrorist offensive in Algeria
May 13, 2007, 11:03 GMT
Algiers - A few days ahead of parliamentary elections in Algeria, security forces have killed 17 suspected terrorists in an offensive against radical Islamic underground fighters, Algerian press reports said Sunday.
The terrorists were killed Thursday and Friday, the reports said, as three Libyans who claimed to belong to the al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb terrorist group were arrested.
The security forces were also believed to have lost people.
Algeria faces parliamentary elections on Thursday, with expatriates already voting from last Saturday.
The election campaign has aroused little interest as the parliament is widely seen to be powerless.
The government has said that it will seek a reconciliation with remorseful former terrorists, but that it will also strike hard against those who continue to fight.
In Tebessa near the Tunisian border at least 10 terrorists were killed after barricading themselves in a mined hideout, according to L'Expression newspaper.
There were foreigners and an al-Qaeda chief among the dead, and a camp used to train fighters for Iraq was destroyed, the report said.
There were also clashes near Tizi Ouzou, 115 kilometres to the east of Algiers, where 20 Muslim fighters were surrounded.
Several members of the security forces were injured or killed in bomb attacks in Skikda and Jijel.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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