ALGIERS, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Algerian troops killed two armed militants in an ongoing counterterrorism operation in the eastern province of Khenchela, near the border with Tunisia, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
The operation took place in the Oued Boudhkane area, around 500 km northeast of the capital Algiers, the ministry said in a statement. Soldiers seized two Kalashnikov rifles and a quantity of ammunition at the scene.
The ministry said the operation reflected the "vigilance and determination" of the armed forces to track down and eliminate remaining terrorist elements.
The incident is part of continued military operations targeting militant groups in Algeria's northern provinces. In May 2025, two militants were killed in a similar raid in Khenchela, while another two were killed in July 2024.
The Algerian military regularly carries out sweep operations in mountainous and rural regions, where remnants of extremist groups linked to al Qaeda or the Islamic State have at times attempted to regroup or infiltrate nearby towns. ■