Algerian sources and media reports said Algerian Army and security
forces were searching the mountains east of Algiers in a major
counter-insurgency offensive against Al Qaida. They said at least 20
insurgency fighters were killed and another 120 suspects were captured.
"We are waging the counter-terror fight without let-up," Algerian
President Abdul
Aziz Bouteflika said.
Most of those captured in the government campaign were said to have been
members of the Al Qaida Organization in the Islamic Maghreb. The
organization was formed in late 2006 in a merger between the Salafist
Brigade for Combat and Call and Al Qaida.
On Thursday, the Algerian daily El Khabar reported that many of the
detainees, ages 18 to 30, were believed to have fought the U.S.-led
coalition in Iraq. The newspaper said other detainees were alleged to have
recruited Algerians to join the Sunni insurgency war in Iraq.
Officials said Algeria, in the biggest counter-insurgency operation
since 2001, has been employing special operations forces supported by attack
helicopters in Bejaia, about 200 kilometers east of Algiers. They said the
force was bolstered by night-vision systems from the
United States in an operation to capture up to 70 besieged Al Qaida
operatives.
So far, 20 Islamic insurgents have been killed, media reports said. One
of them was
identified as a leading Al Qaida commander, Soheib Abu Abdul Rahman.
