Algerian troops killed three armed extremists and recovered weapons and ammunition west of Algiers on Wednesday, the defense ministry said.

Algerian troops killed three armed extremists and recovered weapons and ammunition west of Algiers on Wednesday, the defense ministry said.

The three were killed at around 1:00 am (0200 GMT) in an ambush close to the town of Hamman Righa, around 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the capital, said a statement on the ministry website.

The operation seized three automatic rifles, ammunition and several hand grenades, as well as binoculars and mobile phones, it added.

Violence involving extremists in Algeria has fallen considerably since the civil war of the 1990s, but groups linked to Al-Qaeda in the ArabMaghreb still carry out some attacks, mostly on security forces.

The army says more than 100 armed extremists were killed in 2014.