Algeria 'suicide car bomb attack injures 24'

ALGIERS (AFP) - A suicide car bomber drove into a gendarme headquarters on Saturday in southern Algeria, injuring 24 people and killing himself, the Internet site of the Arab-language daily En Nahar said.

Ten gendarmes and 14 civilians were taken to hospital after the attack in Tamanrasset, 1,970 kilometres (1,220 miles) south of Algiers, the first of its kind in that part of the country.

Some of the injured were said to be in critical condition, while the suicide bomber was blown apart in the blast, which also caused major damage to the building.

The APS news agency confirmed the attack without giving the number of casualties and said a major security presence was now being deployed in the zone.

In recent months the regions of eastern Algeria have been most affected by attacks generally carried out by Islamists targeting the security forces.