CAIRO Ñ Algeria has reported the capture of seven members of a
leading Islamic insurgency group believed responsible for a series of
attacks.
Algerian security sources said seven members of the Salafist Brigade for
Combat and Call have been captured in the western part of the country, Middle East Newsline reported. The
sources said the insurgents surrendered to security forces in the province
of Boumerdes last week.
The captured Salafist group was believed to have struck numerous
military and civilian targets in Boumerdes in 2003, the sources said. They
said the insurgents could have been involved in the ambush that killed 49
Algerian soldiers in January.
The capture of the Salafist group marked a rare success by Algerian
security forces against Islamic insurgents. An Algerian air and ground task
force has been combing the western part of the country, including the area
near Algiers for Salafist insurgents and weapons.
The sources said that in the province of Boire, three attack helicopters
as well as artillery and infantry fighting vehicles have been searching the
countryside for Salafist insurgents. They said two safehouses used to
assemble bombs were located and destroyed.
In the eastern province of Batna, army units continued their
search-and-destroy operation for Salafist insurgents. Sources said several
tunnels and safe houses were found and captured. Two Algerian soldiers were
injured in a bomb blast during the operation.
The Salafists have been deemed responsible for the abduction of 32
European tourists in February. Last month, 17 of them were rescued in
southern Algeria.
The sources said Algerian authorities have been placed on alert for
another outbreak of Salafist attacks in Algiers and other major cities in
the country. They said the military has been reinforcing troops along major
roads and border crossings.
On Monday, four Algerian police officers were killed when a bomb
exploded near a police patrol in the province of Tizi Ouzou, about 100
kilometers east of Algiers. Last week, eight police officers were killed in
an ambush in the same province.
