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43 dead in Algerian suicide bombing

  • Story Highlights
  • Suicide car bombing targeting an Algerian police academy kills at least 43 people
  • Algerian Interior Ministry says that 38 people were also injured
  • Attack occurred early Tuesday in Boumerdes, 60 km east of capital Algiers
  • Security official says bombing occurred as young applicants were in line
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(CNN) -- An attack on a military school in Algeria killed 43 people and wounded another 38 on Tuesday, the interior ministry said.

The attack, which Algerian officials called "a terrorist attack", occurred early Tuesday morning at a school in Boumerdes, about 60 kilometers (40 miles) east of the capital city of Algiers.

The explosion damaged several building and vehicles. Among the wounded were passengers in a bus, state media reported.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

A security official on the scene told The Associated Press that the attack occurred as young applicants were in line, waiting to register at the local police academy.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to discuss such matters with the media.

Earlier this month, a blast near a police station in northern Algeria wounded 21 people. And a suicide bomber on a motorcycle targeted a military convoy in late July, injuring 13 soldiers.

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In both instances, the militant group Al Qaeda Islamic Maghreb claimed responsibility.

The same group also is accused of orchestrating a double car bomb attack in Algiers in December that struck a United Nations headquarters and Algeria's Constitutional Council building. The attack killed dozens of people, including 17 U.N. staffers.

AQIM seeks to destabilize countries such as Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, which it sees as enemies of the Islamic state, authorities say.

CNN's Caroline Faraj contributed to this report

Copyright 2008 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

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