Algeria: 7 soldiers killed

ALGIERS, 13th May: Seven soldiers were killed and two others injured on Friday by a terrorist attack in Algeria's northern province of Jijel, local French speaking El Watan daily reported on its website.

The joint security forces then launched a counterattack operation in the region and eliminated three armed Islamists, according to the report.

An eighth soldier was still missing, while two other soldiers suffered injuries.

Source: Xinhua

Journalist shot dead in Algeria

A journalist for several French-language newspapers was shot dead in a region where the north African branch of al-Qaeda is known to be active, but there has been no confirmation that militants linked to it were responsible.

The journalist, Ahmed Nezar, was shot dead on Friday afternoon in his hometown of Baghlia, about 100 km (60 miles) east of the capital, the security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

Nezar was a local freelance correspondent for several French-language newspapers in Algeria, an energy exporter which won its independence from France in 1962.

“The journalist lived in this dangerous area where several local officials have been killed in the past few years,” the security official said.

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