Algerian army hunts militants on border with Libya

The Algerian army yesterday launched a wide scale military operation to track down extremist militants along the border with Niger and Libya, a security source was quoted as saying.

In remarks to the Anadolu Agency, the source, who asked not to be named, said: “As many as 4,000 Algerian soldiers participated in the operation which began on Sunday upon orders from the army’s commandment on the border between Algeria and Libya, 2,400 kilometres south-east of Algiers.”

“The operation which could last two weeks, began after security warnings were received regarding the intrusion of extremist militants and armed traffickers a few days ago in an area located in the border triangle between Algeria, Niger and Libya,” he said.

The Algerian army did not comment on the operation.