Up to 11 Algerian paramilitary police officers killed by suspected Islamic insurgents after an ambush at the Sahara desert.
Paramilitary Officers in Algeria look at the remains of the vehicle where several of their counterparts were killed after an attack by an Islamic Group with ties with Al-Qaida
The attack which took place on Wednesday was alleged to have been carried out by an Islamic militant group which has ties to al-Qaida.
A source from the Algerian security sources confirmed that Algerian paramilitary police officers were attacked during a routine patrol in the town of Tinzaouatine, close to the border of Mali.
Local media have also reported that the militants who attacked the vehicles just before night fell, also stole weapons and other electronic devices before setting the vehicle on fire.
Violence in Algeria, started in recent years after the 1992 general election where an Islamic Party had won the elections, but was then declared as invalid.
It was reported that the attack took place close to a region where Algeria and over border and neighboring countries set up a joint headquarters to combat the al-Qaeda in the Sahara desert.
According to Algerian records, 150,000 people had died after the attacks that ensued the invalid general election, but many militants gave their guns up in 1999 after negations were made.
The attack is by far the worst such incident of 2010.
Such attack have decreased since the 1999 peace deal but occasionally, attacks are carried out by some militants.
