Detained leader wants dialog, 15 Islamists killed

The Algerian daily Le Matin said yesterday that detained leader of the Armed Islamic Group in Algeria, Abdul Haq al-Eyadah, seeks to enter into a dialogue with the government in an attempt to stop the bloodshed in his country, adding the government has received a message from him to this end. Al-Eyadah founded the armed group with other extremist Islamists in Weld Alal, south of the capital Algiers.

The paper added that some 15 extremists were killed within the last three days in the mountainous area extending from Jijil and Bejiya, some 240 km to the east of the capital. The paper added that Algerian soldiers attacked the region, which is the headquarters of the GIA, with artillery fire before they broke into the shelter of the extremists.

Meanwhile, Algerian President Liamine Zeroual has called upon his government "to perpetuate the positive results" the country has attained, thanks to the agreements signed with the International Monetary Fund, just after 48 hours after concluding these agreements.