Algerian troops kill 16 al-Qaida affiliated militants

Nine Algerian soldiers have been killed in a militant ambush, the country’s defence ministry said.

Although the deadly assault, reported Saturday by the local El Khaber newspaper, has not yet been confirmed by the Algerian defense ministry, it was widely circulated on news websites.

The attack comes as Algeria and much of the rest of the Muslim world are celebrating the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, one of the main holidays of the year.

Few details are available, including which group perpetrated the attack, but armed militant groups have been active in Ain Delfa dating back to the 1990s during Algeria’s civil war, according to the BBC.

Thursday night’s attack took place in a forest in Ain Defla, 240km (150 miles) from Algiers, a police commander told Associated Press - speaking on condition of anonymity as an official statement has not yet been released.

“Members of the People’s National Army immediately proceeded to seal off the area and unleashed a vast operation to flush out and kill the criminals”, it said in a statement.

The military said it was combing the area for the militants involved.

It claimed that 14 soldiers were killed and arms and materiel captured.