The French-language daily Liberte on Wednesday named him as Adel Bourai, alias Ayoub, aged 27, from the Boumerdes region where the Algerian army began a major sweep late last week.

The paper said the other four were all from the same region some 60 kilometres (35 miles) from Algiers and were aged between 28 and 35. It said they were killed as they were preparing to sail along the coast to Jiljel, 300 kilometres to the east, and a number of boats were also destroyed.

Elite army units backed by gunships started sweeping the Chouicha forest near Boumerdes to root out suspected members of AQIM, acting on information received, security sources said.
Boumerdes and the neighbouring regions of Tizi Ouzou and Bouira -- where groups affiliated to AQIM are active -- are those most affected by a recent surge in violence.