President Bouteflika's offer of an amnesty was rejected

According to the newspapers the local militia men had gone to gather water when they were set upon by about 20 armed members of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Salvation (GSPC), one of two radical groups which have waged a civil war in Algeria since 1992.

The newspapers also reported that on Saturday night two shepherds had their throats slashed and another was kidnapped in the Lalla Aouda forest in the Tiaret region, about 340 km (212 miles) west of Algiers - although this has not been verified.

Ongoing violence

"Corroborating sources confirmed that the 12 municipal guards were trapped at a water source, which they use for their supply needs, by some 20 terrorists in military uniforms. The victims were taken by surprise and, therefore, were unable to respond to the terrorist attack," one report said.

The number of people killed in Algeria's ongoing violence since the beginning of October is now placed at about 40, according to the newspaper reports.

Shortly after taking office in 1999 President Abdelaziz Bouteflika offered the insurgents a conditional amnesty, but the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) and the GSPC refused any dealings with the authorities and are pursuing their campaigns of violence.