Five killed by militants in Algeria

Reports from Algeria say Islamic militants have killed at least five people in two separate incidents in the east of the country over the weekend.

Government officials say two people were shot dead and three others seriously injured at a bogus roadblock set up by militants in the Batna region, 430 kilometres east of Algiers.

Officials also say militants stabbed to death three brothers in the Annaba region, 600 kilometres east of Algiers.

The Algerian authorities say Islamic militants who have been waging a war against the country's secular government since 1992, have now killed more than 50 people since the beginning of July.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service