Algerian army troops arrested 20 Libyan armed men and seized their weapons on border with Libya, local media reported Saturday.

El Khabar newspaper quoted a well-informed source as saying that the operation took place in the locality of Djanet, in the province of Illizi, 2,300 km southeast of Algiers, as the 20 armed men on board vehicles were intercepted while crossing the border with Libya.

The vehicles were tracked down, while a fire clash erupted, and finally the army troops managed to arrest the 20 armed men who are of Libyan origins.

Algerian detectives are investigating with these armed men to find out why they entered Algeria and whether they are linked to terrorist groups.

Algeria deployed more troops on the border with Libya to thwart the intrusion of arms and terror groups following the chaos in Libya after the fall of the regime of Muammar Qaddafi.