Terrorists kill 11 soldiers, wound 5 in Tizi Ouzou

A total of 11 soldiers were killed and five others were wounded Saturday in a terrorist attack in the province of Tizi Ouzou (100 km east of Algiers), according to the Algerian defense ministry.

The soldiers were on their way back from securing a polling station on Saturday at around 9:15 pm.

The wounded soldiers were taken to a military hospital in Bordj Menail. “Immediately after the crime, the area was surrounded and a combing operation was carried out killing three terrorists and recovering two Kalashnikovs. The operation is still going on until the elimination of the remaining terrorists,” said the ministry in a release.

According to sources, the patrol fell in an ambush set up by no less than 40 terrorists as they entered in clashes for about an hour.

The army forces were backed up by additional units and military helicopters to comb the borders area between Tizi Ouzou and Bouira next to the Djurdjura mountains.