ALGERIA LAUNCHES OPERATIONS NEAR MOROCCAN BORDER

CAIRO [MENL] -- Algeria's military has launched what is being described as amajor operation to flush out insurgents near the Moroccan border. The operation is considered the largest since 1998 and involvesthousands of troops. They are engaged in a search-and-destroy operation forinsurgents in the hills in eastern Algeria in the Bashar state near theMoroccan border.