ALGIERS, Algeria — Algerian security forces killed two radical Islamist insurgents Wednesday in the same locality east of the capital where seven were killed a day earlier.
The official APS news agency quoted an unidentified security source as saying troops on a search operation killed the two guerrillas in Boulzazene in the Boumerdes region, 45 miles east of Algiers.
Algeria has been fighting a years-long battle with al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, which uses the Kabyle region, near Boumerdes, as its headquarters. The Defense Ministry said in a rare statement Tuesday that seven insurgents had been killed and arms, ammunition and medicine recovered.
In recent years, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb has been noted more for its reach into the Sahel region with kidnappings and its takeover of parts of northern Mali, which borders Algeria.
Algeria’s government said Wednesday that contacts to free several Algerian diplomats who were taken hostage in April by another radical Islamist group in northern Mali are continuing. Foreign Ministry spokesman Amar Belani told the APS that contacts “with various channels” are taking place.
Front Section, Pages 4 on 01/03/2013