CAIRO Ñ Algeria's military has been successful in efforts to flush
out and capture Islamic insurgents from the forests near the capital as
authorities plan an unprecedented broadcast of their confessions.
The fighting is said to be taking place in the mountainous region of
Omal, a forest about 120 kilometers east of Algiers. Security sources said
Algerian helicopters and commando units have succeeded in uncovering
insurgency strongholds and forcing Islamic gunmen to flee.
On Thursday, Algerian newspapers reported that 10 Islamic insurgents
were killed in the military campaign. The insurgents were believed to be
part of
the Salafist Brigade from Combat and Call led by Hassan Hattab.
Islamic insurgents reportedly killed a police officer in the province of
Tizi Uzu. An Algerian security source was quoted as saying that eight
insurgents ambushed the officer as he left his home on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Algerian insurgents killed five civilians in the Shetibo
district. Military sources said the the people were gunned down by a carload
of men carying semi-automatic weapons.
Algerian authorities have also arrested 14 Armed Islamic Group
insurgents recently and recorded their confessions. The authorities have
offered the videoed confessions to Algerian media, which contains details of
Islamic attacks in and around Algiers in June. They include such insurgents
as Awar Mohammed, known as the "Bear," Qabi Hussein and Azuk Maqran, known
as "Fawzi."
More than 40 people were killed and 80 were injured in a series of
shooting and bombing attacks around Algiers. Algerian sources said the
confessions of the Islamic insurgents would be broadcast over the weekend,
the first time prisoners have discussed their alleged crimes openly since
the war against the Algiers regime began in 1992.
