Eleven dead in Algeria bus attack

Suspected Islamic militants in Algeria have killed 11 bus passengers in the worst attack on civilians since last month's parliamentary election, the official news agency APS has reported.

Ten others were injured - two seriously - in the incident in the town of Medea, about 70 kilometres (43 miles) south of Algiers.

The bus had pulled to a stop in Medea when it was sprayed with machine-gun fire on Tuesday evening.

The attackers fled shortly before a government force sealed off the area, the agency said, quoting hospital and security sources.

About 600 people - including civilians, militants and the security forces - have been killed in political violence so far this year, according to figures compiled by the media.

Election violence

Algeria elected a new parliament on 30 May, when the former ruling National Liberation Front (FLN) won 199 of the 389 seats.

Hours before the voting began, suspected rebels killed 25 nomads - one of a series of attacks in the run-up to the poll.

The cycle of violence broke out in early 1992 after the authorities cancelled a parliamentary election that radical Islamists seemed certain to win.

Since then, up to 150,000 people have been killed in the conflict, according to non-government sources, while the official figure is in excess of 100,000.