Algeria hit by surge in guerrilla violence

[Al-khiyal]

Security services dismantle terrorist support network at Skikda

[Al-khiyal]

290 terrorists being tracked by police in Algiers

[Al-khiyal]

Algiers - Suspected Islamist militants shot dead four Algerian government municipal guards, said reports on Thursday, in an apparent escalation of attacks ahead of the expiry of an amnesty aimed at ending years of bloodshed.

It was reported that the guards were heading home when they came under fire in a mountainous area in Ain Defla province, some 150km southwest of Algiers on Tuesday.

The authorities were not immediately available for comment.

Tuesday's ambush followed an attack on July 12 after five municipal guards were killed in the neighbouring province of Tipasa.

Security experts usually blamed such killings on the al-Qaeda-aligned Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), which opposed an amnesty offered by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

The government said about 2 200 jailed rebels had been freed under the amnesty. Those still at-large had been offered a pardon provided they were not involved in massacres, rapes and bombings of public places.

The peace offer came into force in February and would expire at the end of August. Violence had sharply fallen in recent years after a civil strife that cost the lives of 200 000 people since 1992.

Algerian rebels kill 4 in ambush

[Sminette]

For the past few days I've been reading similar things ...I am fed up...not again...we've had enough of bloodshed and slaughterings ...Now that the country was going to get on its feet and the people would start having normal lives ...this is happening ...I'm gutted ...I'm so moved by all this ...I thought it was over ...what do these people want??? ....If they want to fight there are plenty of destinations : they can go to Irak , they can go to Palestine or Lebanon now, and they can fight over there ...Can they just leave ALGERIA in peace ...such a beautiful country ...unfortunately with groups of narrow minded ignorants wanting to harm it and it's people ...WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH.....I HAVE NO MERCY FOR TERRORISTS...THEY SHOULDN'T BE GRANTED ANY SORT OF PARDON OR AMNESTY ...THEY SHOULD ALL BURN IN HELL...
THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!!

[Al-khiyal]

Terrorist attack in Skikda: Marsa Ezitoun beach targeted in broad daylight

[Al-khiyal]

ALGIERS (Reuters) - Twenty four Islamist rebels gave themselves up to Algerian security forces in one of the largest single surrenders by insurgents under a six-month amnesty expiring at the end of August, newspapers reported on Tuesday.

The rebels, from the north African country's main rebel group, the al Qaeda-aligned Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), came out of hiding in the region of Tipaza, 50 km (30 miles) west of Algiers, the newspapers reported.

One of the newspapers, Algeria's top selling El Khabar, quoted unnamed security sources as saying the rebels gave up after the military encircled them in mountains near Tipaza, a Mediterranean resort town.

"I am expecting more and more terrorists to surrender in the coming days and weeks," a security source who asked not to be named told Reuters.

The government says around 2,200 jailed rebels have been freed under the amnesty. Those still at large have been offered a pardon provided they were not involved in massacres, rapes and bombings of public places.

Violence has fallen sharply in recent years after a civil war that cost the lives of up to 200,000 people since 1992.

Over 200 militants have surrendered in the past few months, according to officials. Several hundred are still believed to be at large.

Interior Minister Noureddine Zerhouni on July 22 appealed to the remaining insurgents to give themselves up. "If not, we will fight them with all means necessary," he said.

More Algerian rebels surrender

[Sminette]

I have mixed feelings about this whole amnesty thing...sometimes I think it's good ...but sometimes I just get angry and wish they never get any sort of pardon neither from god nor from the government...I think more jobs have to be created in Algeria to take people's mind off troubles like these...These terrorists are just doing all these killings for money not for any other reason ..I think..