Eye-witnesses say their assailants were Islamist militants, who seized the soldiers' weapons and ammunition before fleeing.

The people of Algeria are due to vote next month in a referendum of national reconciliation, called by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, in an effort to end seven years of political violence which has left around one-hundred-thousand people dead.

On Saturday, 29 people were discovered with their throats cut in a village Beni Ounif in the western Bechar region - in the worst single attack since Mr Bouteflika was elected in April.