Two children killed in Algeria explosion

Two children were killed and four others wounded when a homemade grenade exploded east of the Algerian capital on Saturday, according to local media. 

Armed groups had placed the improvised explosive to delay the advance of security forces pursuing them in the mountainous region of Ahnif, according to the El Watan newspaper.

"A homemade grenade exploded Saturday near six children who were playing (in the village) of Tamezyavt" in Ahnif, in the province of Bouira about 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the capital of Algiers, the civil defence said on Saturday.

It gave a toll of one dead and five wounded, but El Watan said Sunday that a second child had succumbed to wounds.

The children who died were aged 10 and 12, the newspaper said.

It said the four wounded children were in serious condition and had been transferred to the hospital in Tizi Ouzou, and that the oldest was 16. 

Algeria regularly announces it has killed hardline Islamists in operations targeting "terrorists".

Algerians had hoped that a 2005 peace and reconciliation charter would turn the page on a brutal 1991-2002 civil war between Islamists and security forces that cost 200,000 lives.

Bloodshed blamed on such fighters has lessened significantly, but such groups continue to clash regularly with security forces, especially in southern and eastern Algeria.