Algerian government reports Islamic offensive

CAIRO — Algeria has acknowledged an offensive by Islamic insurgents. Algeria's security services have released details of the latest attacks by Islamic insurgents against both civilians and security forces. This is a departure for the government and military, which in the past rarely referred to attacks by Islamic insurgents.

An announcement by the Algerian security agency said 11 people were killed in an attack by Islamic gunmen southeast of the capital Algiers. Seven of those killed near the town of Batna were members of the security forces.

The security service said four civilians were massacred by the insurgents. Algerian security officers arrived at the scene and were ambushed by Islamic gunmen about 430 kilometers from Algiers.

Security sources said the insurgents had set up a roadblock between Batna and Merouana. Vehicles that stopped were attacked and their passengers killed.

Algerian forces have been struck by deadly Islamic attacks over the past month. Last week, 10 security offcers were killed in an ambush in the Berber region in northeastern Algeria.

Authorities also acknowledged that many Islamic fugitives have disappeared during military operations against the insurgents. Algerian Interior Minister Yazid Zarhoni told parliament that 884 of the 4,880 Algerians who have disappeared had been deemed as terrorist suspects.

Zarhoni said the bodies of 289 Algerians were found in 47 mass graves. <>