CAIRO Ñ Algerian troops are said to have surrounded an insurgency
force of 250 combatants, including the head of a major Islamic rebel group.
Algerian security sources said the insurgency force has been surrounded
near Adghal in the Kabilye region. They said one of the insurgents is Hassan
Khatab, head of the Salafist Brigade for Combat and Call. The brigade is
regarded as one of the two leading Islamic insurgency groups and is said to
have killed thousands of soldiers and civilians since 1998. The brigade is a
splinter group from the much larger Islamic Armed Group.
Algerian radio reported that the military has employed heavy weapons such
as artillery and tanks to pound Salafist positions around 120 kilometers
southeast of the capital Algiers. The radio said the fighting has been going
on for more than a week.
The security sources said Algerian intelligence agencies had received a
report that the Salafists were planning a secret conference in Adghal to
plan strategy in their 10-year insurgency war against Algiers. The
information led to a surprise attack by Algerian special operations forces,
supported by helicopters and fighter-jets.
The sources said Algerian bombers and attack helicopters have been
pounding several homes believed being used by the Salafists. They said the
group prepared several underground bunkers, filled with food and weapons,
for the meeting.
So far, the sources said, one underground bunker has been captured.
