Suicide attack on Algerian barracks kills 10

A suicide attack at a military academy west of the Algerian capital has killed at least 10 people, security officials said last night.

A car loaded with explosives was driven toward the academy in Cherchell, 112 miles west of Algiers last night.

Officials said several people were wounded and killed in the explosion, but gave conflicting tolls. They said that at least 10 were dead.

The bombers detonated themselves at the entrance not long after "iftar" – the evening meal when Muslims observing the holy month of Ramadan break their daily fast, a source said.

Yesterday was a sacred day onthe Muslim calendar that falls at the end of the holy month of Ramadan and it is often accompanied by attacks.

Algeria is still emerging from a conflict with Islamist militants, which killed an estimated 200,000 people at its peak in the 1990s.

The North African country has seen a marked increase in attacks in recent months, many of which are blamed on al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb.