Algeria is being rocked by a renewed wave of violence with 26 people killed in terrorist attacks blamed on Islamist radicals. Meanwhile, Algerian President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika has arrived on his first visit to Washington, according to Middle East Newslink (MENL).
MENL said Bouteflika was expected to discuss improving relations with the United States, particularly in the defense and security fields.
At least 26 people have been killed over the last three days in two attacks, reportedly by Islamic insurgents. On Saturday, 16 people were killed in a massacre of Algerian civilians about 120 kilometers west of Algiers. One of the victims was said to be a Palestinian, said MENL.
On Thursday, another 10 people were killed south of the capital. In both cases, Islamic rebels were said to have been responsible.
The official APS news agency said the victims were "cowardly assassinated by a group of terrorists" on Friday night on a road near the village of Sidi Lakhdar in Ain Defla province.
More than 100 people have been killed in the last month in similar attacks.
More than 100,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Algeria since 1992.
The violence broke out after the military-backed authorities cancelled a general election that a now banned Muslim fundamentalist party was poised to win.
Reports from Algeria last week said a member of the country's upper house of Parliament, Mohamed Boudiar, had been kidnapped by a group of Islamic extremists while he was traveling in the east of the country.
APS said the attack took place overnight on Wednesday, when the vehicle in which he was traveling was stopped at what it described as a fake road block in the Kherza region about 600 kilometers from the capital, Algiers.
Security forces have been combing the area in the hopes of tracking down the kidnappers and their captives – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
