ALGIERS, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Algerian troops deployed along the southern border line on Saturday arrested three armed militants in the southernmost province of Tamanrasset, near the border with Mali, said a statement of the Defense Ministry.
"As part of the fight against terrorism after efficient exploitation of intelligence, a detachment of the National People's Army arrested 3 terrorists, and retrieved a Kalashnikov-type submachine gun, one Simonov semi-automatic rifle, 4 loaders, in addition to large quantity of ammunition," specified the statement.
The three arrested militants have been wanted by security forces, noted the source, adding that "such counterterrorism operations conducted by army troops deployed on the border strip highlight the firm determination to preserve the security of our country and national border."
Located in a region plagued by unprecedented security and political instability, Algeria faces ongoing terrorist threats.
Militants affiliated to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and recently established Daesh affiliate groups are still taking refuge in the dense woods in the north and remote desert areas near the troubled Libya and Mali.
