Officer killed in Algerian mine blast

On Monday, an Algerian military officer was killed in a mine blast that was planted near the gas pipeline in Medila South Tebessa by al-Qaeda militants in the Islamic Maghreb, according to a local security source. The explosion resulted in serious injury of three other soldiers. The military patrol was on duty in a routine patrol before it was surprised by the mine explosion that was heard from a distance. The injured soldiers were transferred to a nearby hospital. An officer died in hospital while the other three soldiers are receiving intensive medical care. The Far East region in Algeria of Khenchela and Tebessa are known as insecure points as the region witnessed during Ramadan the elimination support network for al-Qaeda that was composed of 14 people, including two women. The network used to also support armed groups in the region.