Unidentified armed men have shot and killed two police officers south of the Algerian capital. The policemen were on guard outside a bank in the town of Medea on Tuesday, security officials said. The region around Medea is often targeted by the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) of Rashid Abu Tourab whose membership is believed to have dropped to about 30.
"Yar! Mahmoud, there's only the thirty of us left!"
"Yeah, Abdullah. Whaddya think we should do?"
"Let's bump off a coupla coppers!" |
Tuesday's attack was the first of its kind by the GIA in several months. Since the start of December at least 23 people, 16 armed Islamists and seven members of the security forces, have been killed in a violent campaign to create an Islamic state, according to a count by officials and the press. Nearly 880 people have died since January. |