Off the wire
Germany pledges to double climate financial support to developing countries  • U.S., Poland mull strengthening bilateral defense cooperation  • Age-reversal effects of "young blood" protein questioned in new research  • Senegalese president elected new chairman of West African bloc  • 1st LD Writethru: Oil prices drop as U.S. dollar strengthens  • Tunisia FM says Libyan gov't promises kidnapped Tunisians will be released  • Italian plane to aid Albania's monitoring over illegal cannabis cultivation  • Brazil welcomes China's participation in transcontinental railway project  • NATO chief, Russian FM discuss Ukraine situation  • China, Brazil vow to facilitate bilateral trade in joint statement  
You are here:   Home

Key military operation kills 22 militants in northern Algeria

Xinhua, May 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

Algerian military said on Tuesday it killed 22 militants in what it deemed the most important anti-terror operation in 20 years in the northern province of Bouira, local media reported.

Army troops surrounded 30 militants affiliated to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), killing 22 of them, a security source said, adding that the rest are still under manhunt, according to the TSA news website.

Automatic weapons, ammunition and other weaponry were seized in the operation, said the report.

Meanwhile, Ennahar TV quoted an army officer as saying that the targeted terrorist group was holding a meeting to plot attacks, noting that it is the most important anti-terrorism operation in the region for the past 20 years.

Despite significant improvement of security situation in Algeria, the government said a few militants affiliated to AQIM and recently established Islamic State affiliate group of Caliphate Soldiers are still taking refuge in the woods of central provinces of Boumerdes, Tizi Ouzou and Bouira, which are close to the capital city of Algiers. Endit