CAIRO Ñ Algerian forces were said to have surrounded a major
insurgency leader.
Military troops and security forces operating south of the capital
Algiers have trapped a group of insurgents. One of them is said to be Rashid
Abu Turab, a so-called prince of the Islamic Armed Group, or GIA.
Security sources said Abu Turab and his chief aides are no longer in
contact with Islamic insurgents in the Algiers area. They termed this as the
most important achievement in the government's battle against the GIA since
the assassination of the group's leader Antar Zubeiri in February.
The trapped insurgency cell is said to contain between three and five
members. One of them is believed to be Abu Turab or another major GIA
insurgent such as Saada Al Ayman.
An Algerian government announcement said authorities have launched a new
crackdown against Islamic insurgents. The statement said the measure was
in response to a wave of bombings around the capital attributed to the
GIA and other Islamic groups.
Prime Minister Ali Bin Falis said this week that his government has
taken a series of measures in several regions as part of the
counterinsurgency campaign. The premier said the measures were meant to
combat intensified insurgency activities, which included assassinations and
bombings.
Falis told parliament that authorities has ordered deployment of
additional troops and equipment around the country. He also called on
citizens to help authorities in reporting suspicious activities.
On Friday, security sources said an Algerian special operations unit had
captured five suspected insurgents in Algiers and nearby towns. They said
the insurgents possessed weapons and that one of them was captured in
downtown Algiers.
