Troops encircle Islamist rebels

Algiers - Algerian troops have about 100 Islamist rebels under siege in a south-western forest following the massacre last week…

Algiers - Algerian troops have about 100 Islamist rebels under siege in a south-western forest following the massacre last week of 19 villagers, a local newspaper reported yesterday. Le Quotidien d'Oran said several army units had since Sunday kept the rebels holed up in Tafrent forest in Ain Defla district, 130 km south-west of Algiers.