Magharebia

The Algerian army has surrounded 15 terrorists hiding in the Edough forest, in the Skikda region of Annaba province, Algerian press reports said Thursday (June 28th) and Friday. According to a member of the group who surrendered to the security forces, there are women and children among the group and security forces are afraid they will be used as human shields in case of an attack, Liberte reported. The group allegedly belongs to al-Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb. In early May the army began a vast operation in the region aimed at eliminating all terrorists who rejected the government's amnesty offer under the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation.

Ech Chourouk quoted Interior Minister Mohamed Yazid Zerhouni as saying on Wednesday that although the deadline for the Charter has expired, the state cannot reject a terrorist who lays down arms. "There is a necessity to seek new mechanisms to revive the Reconciliation and peace and continue, at the same time, to fight extremists," Zerhouni said.

In a separate statement, Director General of National Security, Ali Tounsi said that one of police's priorities is "not to face terrorism and crime but to eliminate them in order to ensure the safety of citizens and protect their belongings."