ALGIERS, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Nine armed Islamists were killed by the Algerian Security Forces on Friday in an area between the provinces of Ghardaia and Bechar, in the southwest of Algeria, reported the Arabic newspaper Echorouk on its website.

    The armed Islamists were killed as the Algerian Security Forces foiled an ambush by a group of armed Islamists believed to be led by the so-called Yahia Djaouadi.

    A clash took place then as the army forces tightened the noise on the armed Islamists in the air and on land.

    According to other sources, more than 10 armed Islamists were killed and five cars of Toyota Station were destroyed after helicopters had bombed them.

    Security forces recovered a considerable quantity of heavy war weapons and a number of Kalashnikovs.

    The operation came after the government army had been surrounding the area in coordination with air and land forces." Two terrorists of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) were killed last week in the province of el-Bayadh," a security official told Echorouk.

    "They came from Tizi Ouzou (100 km east of Algiers, Algerian capital) and it is believed that they were working with the surrounded group," he added.

    Security experts believe that the terrorist organization adopted a new strategy to smuggle weapons outside big cities as the army is tightening the noise on terrorists in various areas.