Military kills 10 suspected Islamic militants in Algeria

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The Algerian military killed 10 suspected Islamist militants in a gun battle Sunday in western Algeria, the government said. The army sweep followed a week of bombings claimed by the local branch of al-Qaida that killed at least 60 people in this North African country. "The 10 terrorists were shot down during an operation by the national army," said a brief statement from the Interior Ministry carried by the official APS news agency. The clash occurred near Tarek Ibn Ziad, 250 kilometers west of Algiers, the capital, it said. A dozen automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers were seized during the operation, the statement said. It did not report any government casualties.