 Two Algerian soldiers and two militants have been killed in two separate clashes as government forces intensify its sweep on rebel strongholds, newspapers reported on Tuesday. Members of the al Qaeda-linked Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) ambushed an army unit on patrol and killed two soldiers on Monday in Boumerdes, about 50 km (31 miles) east of the capital Algiers, newspaper Liberte said. Five soldiers were also seriously wounded in the attack, the newspaper said citing unnamed sources. Authorities were not immediately available for comment. In a separate incident, two rebels suspected of belonging to the smaller Armed Islamic Group (GIA) were killed late on Sunday during clashes with security forces near Chlef, about 200 km southwest of Algiers, Liberte said. |