Algeria: some 17 persons killed in clashes between two Islamic groups

The Algerian daily "al-Youm" issued on Tuesday said that clashes between two rival groups of armed Islamists resulted in killing 17 persons last Saturday near Batenah, 430 Km to the southern east of the capital Algiers.

The same source said that the clashes took place between Prince Abdul Razzaq Bara group who is expected to have split from the " call and fighting " ( al-Dawa and al-Qital ) group led by Hassan Hattab and members led by Nabil Sahrawi who is close to the leader of the group.

The corps were found by the army forces which headed to the mountainous area which are covered by woods, 40 Km to the Northern west of Batenah after they had received a warning from local inhabitants to this effect.

" Differences between Abdul Razzaq Bara and his former leader Hammas Hattab might have emerged after the kidnapping of the Senate member Muhammad Budeyar in July 2001 in Teibaza ( 630 Km to the southern east of the capital Algiers). The said Senate member was released after three weeks and the kidnapping area was not identified.

Worthy mentioning that the armed Islamic group and the al-Dawa and al-Qital group, both reject the civil reconciliation policy advocated by the Algerian President Abdul Aziz Butaflika. They still continue their attacks. Since the beginning of 2002 at least 40 persons were killed in acts of violence attributed to the two groups, according to a statistics, prepared according to official figures and the press.