Security forces say the overnight attack in the south-west of the country was carried out by Islamic extremists.

Barbara Plett in Cairo: "Violence has surged in Algeria"

Newspaper reports say extremists were also responsible for killing 14 government soldiers on Thursday night.

The ambush near the city of Oran, 350km west of Algiers, began with a roadside bomb attack on two military vehicles.

The second attack was to the east of the capital

As soon as the bomb exploded, rebels hiding on both sides of the road opened fire on the soldiers.

The ambush was believed to be the deadliest reported attack on soldiers in Oran province.

In the other attack late on Wednesday, at least three policemen were shot dead in Draa el Mizan, 90km east of the capital. There has been no official confirmation of either attack.

The El Watan newspaper reported that militant Muslim rebels shot dead three policemen on Wednesday night in Tizi Ouzou, 90km east of Algiers.

The report said the three had been on guard duty outside a mosque.

Bloody history

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in violence in Algeria since 1992 when authorities cancelled a general election in which the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) had taken a commanding lead.

Ramadan: Violence on the up

The latest attacks have fuelled fears of a repetition of the massacres during last year's holy month of Ramadan, in January 1998, that left more than 1,200 people dead.

This year, more than 40 people have died since the religious period began on 19 December.

It is not unusual for there to be an upsurge in violence in Algeria during the Muslim holy month.