Algeria raises soldiers besieging terrorists to 9,000

Military operation commandment in charge of combing the Kabylian mountains raised the number of soldiers to 9,000 in the largest military operation carried out in Algeria’s centre, Echoroukonline has learnt.

• Combing operations are still going on in places called the ‘red areas.’ They are the ways took by terrorists from Delleys Mountains in the province of Boumerdes (50 km east of Algiers) to its borders with Tizi Ouzou (100 km east of Algiers) and from Sidi Ali Bounab and Mizrana Forests to borders with Bouira (125 km east of Algiers).
•  
• A large number of terrorists including their leaders are besieged. They were preparing for a national meeting in Sidi Ali Bounab.
•  
• According to the same sources, the military commandment ordered to call up 2,000 additional reserve soldiers to reinforce the combing operation. That brings the total number to 9,000 soldiers.
•  
• The operation was launched, a week ago, with 5,000 soldiers. Two days later, this number rose to 7,000. It is conducted by counter-terrorism troops, special forces and paratroopers.
•  
• This happened while mobile phone networks are still cut in Bouira, Tizi Ouzou and Boumerdes. A plan was put to prevent terrorists from contacting each other and eliminate as much as possible of them.
•  
• The raise of the soldiers’ number came two days after a visit paid by General Ahmed Gaid Saleh, Algerian Army Chief of Staff to the area. A total of 20 terrorists have been killed so far.