Al Qaeda in North Africa Kills 20 Algerian soldiers In Clash

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the al Qaeda franchisee in northern Africa is claiming that they killed 20 Algerian troops in clashes in easter Algeria. Now, there are reports that al Qaeda lost over 25 of their misfits in the fighting and in fact may have lost a significant leader as well but that is still unconfirmed.

Here's an excerpt from the Reuter's article:

"After the apostates trumpeted their major campaign to comb the Bejaia area, for which they gathered more than 10,000 troops ... and claimed to surround the emir of the organization, and the enemy al-Shorouk newspaper ... told lies about the killing of 25 mujahideen ... we wish to present a summary of the utter failure of the apostates..." the group said.
"Most casualties were recorded among the apostates during the explosion of dozens of bombs that the mujahideen received them with... and their limbs went flying, two of their vehicles were charred and many of them fled like frightened rats..."

Actually, in my estimation, Algeria has been very proactive against al Qaeda in the past two months. They need to be. Once al Qaeda starts to be able to interlink across the countries of north Africa - from Ethiopia to Somalia to Sudan to Algeria to Morocco, it is going to be a formidable force and I doubt the host countries would be able to coordinate any kind of resistance as a group since most of them hate each other.

Qaeda in north Africa says kills 20 Algeria troops

DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's wing in north Africa says it has killed 20 Algerian soldiers and wounded 30 in clashes in its eastern stronghold, where the army has launched a campaign against the rebels.
In an Internet statement posted on Saturday, the group denied a newspaper report that 25 of its fighters had been killed and played down reports its leader had been surrounded.
Liberte and El Watan reported last month that Abdelmalek Droudkel, also known as Abu Mus'ab Abd el-Wadoud may be among rebels that 9,000-10,000 troops had besieged in a mountainous area between the two eastern provinces of Tizi Ouzou and Bejaia.

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has claimed responsibility for several major attacks including two suicide bombings that targeted U.N. offices and a court building in December 2007, killing 41 people including 17 United Nations staff.
Algeria is emerging from over a decade of conflict that began when the military-backed government scrapped legislative polls in 1992 that a radical Islamic party was poised to win.