At least 14 Algerian soldiers have been killed in an attack by militants in the country's northeastern region of Kabylie, Press TV reported.
The ambush took place at around 7:00 p.m. local time (1800 GMT) on Friday when assailants attacked an army post in the town of Azazga, located 140 kilometers (90 miles) from the capital Algiers, Algeria's French-language El Watan daily reported on Saturday.
The militants engaged in a fierce firefight with the Algerian troops, which lasted for some two hours.
The soldiers were reportedly watching a televised speech by Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika at the time.
The Algerian president was announcing constitutional and electoral reforms "aimed at deepening the democratic process."
On Saturday, security forces combed the area between Azazga and Yakouren in pursuit of the perpetrators. The area is considered a stronghold of the al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
The Algerian army launched a massive sweep in the Kabylie region a year ago with the aim of snuffing out the threat allegedly posed by AQIM.
In recent years, the Sahara region has seen a dramatic hike in the activities of smugglers and militants reportedly linked to AQIM, which has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks on foreigners in the area.
...