Three dead, five hurt in Algerian bomb blast

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ALGIERS, Sept 15 (AFP): Three people were killed and five others wounded when a homemade bomb exploded Friday outside a police residence east of the Algerian capital, security forces said.
Two people had to have their legs amputated after the incident at Zemmouri, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Algiers.
The bomb was placed in a plastic bag at the entrance to the residence where police officers and their families live. It exploded shortly before Muslims broke the Ramadan fast.
The area was immediately cordoned off by security officers and dozens of troops were deployed on roads leading to Zemmouri and the neighbouring city of Boumerdes.
Cars were systematically stopped and searched at checkpoints.
Algeria was hit by two deadly attacks last week, claimed by a regional Al-Qaeda branch, which killed more than 50 people and wounded more than 140 others.
On September 6, a suicide attack targeting President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's convoy in the eastern town of Batna killed 22 people and wounded more than 100 others.
Two days later, another suicide attack against a coastguard barracks at Dellys east of Algiers, involving a booby-trapped car, left 30 people dead and 40 wounded.