Algerian defence launches military and security campaigns

Al-Qaeda-affiliated militants in the Islamic Maghreb An Algerian security source told 'Arabstoday' that the death toll in clashes involving Al-Qaeda militants on Tuesday, which arose from a military operation launched by units . combating terrorism belonging to the Algerian army, increased to 11 militants, including a senior Al-Qaeda  commander. Seven people were killed on Tuesday by the Algerian army and four other casualties were reported in previous clashes from last Sunday. The military operation began in the district of Boumerdes, 70km east of Algiers. Seven Al-Qaeda-affiliated militants of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) were killed on Tuesday morning in Beni Khalifa (Bani Amran) and a number of live ammunitions and weapons were retrieved.
Armed forces still besiege dozens of Al-Qaeda groups in the area.
The operation followed an emergency meeting with leaders and officials of the battalion and brigades affiliated to (AQIM) on Monday.
A security source told 'Arabstoday' that the military operation, which mobilised more than 2000 troops, will continue until the groups are completely eradicated.
Various security  units received instructions from the army leadership stressing the necessity for caution and being on the alert, especially after intelligence reports  pointed out the possibility of terrorist or suicide operations using motorcycle or car bombs.
Meanwhile, Algerian security services launched a security campaign at the beginning of the month to remind citizens to  coordinate with security services by reporting any terrorist activity. Police posters  pasted throughout in several governorates, including Algiers, calls on  citizens to contact them in case of suspect activities.
Moreover, the Algerian Ministry of Defence has launched another campaign by sending SMS messages urging people to report any suspected terrorist movements by calling the toll-free number 1590.