Qaeda claims Algeria attack that killed 14: SITE

DUBAI: Al-Qaeda's north Africa branch on Wednesday claimed an attack on an Algerian army barracks in which 14 soldiers were killed, the SITE monitoring service said.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb claimed "the successful invasion that was carried out ... on a military barracks of the Algerian army" on the night of April 15, a SITE translation of a statement posted on jihadist forums said.

"The mujahedeen were able to take full control over the barracks after they killed and injured 30 apostates," the statement said, adding that "the mujahedeen made the reception for brother Rabie as a martyr."

Local residents said on April 16 that an attack on a military guard post east of Algiers killed 14 soldiers and one of the assailants.

The daily El Watan reported on its website that around 10 soldiers were killed in the attack late Friday by a "terrorist" group at Azazga, 140 kilometres (90 miles) from the capital.

The Azazga guard post is located on the edge of the dense Yakouren forest, where Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is active. (AFP)