ALGIERS, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Algerian Defense Ministry said army forces on Friday killed eight militants in the eastern province of Khenchela bordering Tunisia.
"The eight armed militants were killed in a wide-scale operation being carried out in the dense woods of El Rakhouche in the province of Khenchela," the ministry said in a statement.
The troops also seized plenty of machine guns, grenades, magazines, binoculars and ammunition, it added.
The statement, however, did not specify the losses among army troops.
Last week, the army troops arrested several individuals suspected of providing logistic support to terrorist groups in the easternmost province of Souk Ahras bordering Tunisia.
Located in a region plagued by unprecedented insecurity and political instability, Algeria has deployed tens of thousands of troops on its eastern and southern border to thwart potential intrusion of armed militants, given the instability gripping Mali and a civil war in Libya. Enditem
