Algerian army kills 6 militants

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — The army says it has killed six Islamist militants in an operation east of the capital Algiers.

An official said army units encircled the Chouicha forest on Monday near the town of Boumerdes, 38 miles (60 kilometers) east of the capital, and killed Adel Bourai, a top official in a local group.

Five more members of the Akram Brigade were also killed Tuesday in a gun battle deep in the forest as part of the military's mopping up operation in the area.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press —

For two decades, Algeria has been battling an Islamist insurgency, now allied to al-Qaida, that continues to conduct attacks.

Boumerdes and the nearby Berber enclave of Tizi Ouzou have turned into strongholds for al-Qaida in the region.