Islamist ambush kills 12 troops
2005-05-16 11:28
Algiers - Twelve Algerian troops were killed in a weekend ambush by armed Islamist rebels in the eastern region of Khenchela, Algerian media reported on Monday.
A bomb exploded as the troops' convoy was travelling on Sunday near Khenchela, a city about 540 kilometres east of the capital, Algiers, several Algerian daily newspapers reported.
The papers claimed the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), allegedly linked to the Al-Qaeda network, was responsible for the attack.
In the past six weeks at least 60 people, more of half of them members of the security forces, have been killed in Algeria in attacks blamed on armed Islamists, according to official and media reports.
- AFP