Five Islamists killed in mopping up operations; Butaflika supported for Presidential elections
Algeria, Politics, 2/11/2004

The Algerian peace society movement has announced support for the nomination of the Algerian President, Abdul Aziz Butaflika, for the Presidential elections due April 8th.

The Algerian official news agency said that member of the party, Muhammad Dan, announced that the "movement's Shoura council supports the nomination of President Butaflika in the context of an alliance with other political parties." Butaflika, however, has not announced his nomination for a second term of office, despite the fact that all indicators show that he will do so" during the few coming days," according to local press.

On Saturday, the President delegated one of "his representatives " to withdraw nomination documents from the ministry of the interior in order to collect necessary signatures and prepare the file.

The Algerian peace movement which is led by Bujarra Sultani since June 2003, after the death of its founder Mahfouz Nahnah, who was one of the main moderate Islamic faces in the country, is considered the second strongest party in the government coalition which announces its support for the nomination of Butaflika.

The democratic national coalition which is led by the prime minister Ahmad O Yahya had announced support for nominating the President in December 2003.

Meantime, security sources announced that the police forces killed five armed Islamists by bullets in clashes that took place during mopping up operations in areas where Islamists are stationed.

The sources explained that four of those five were killed in Zamouri sector to the east of Algiers during an operation which was launched on Sunday in Seidi Dawoud woods which are close to the Zamouri village. The sources added that another armed Islamist was killed on Tuesday in Bu Tayeb mountain to the east of the capital in a similar operation.

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