Algiers, April 6 (IANS): Algeria on Sunday said that about 500 illegal migrants from various African countries were intercepted by the government troops in Tamenrasset province.

"Army troops arrested, in two separate operations, 496 illegal immigrants from various African nations, in addition to two smugglers in possession of four metal detectors and mobile phones," the defence ministry said in a statement, according to Xinhua.

The illegal migrants and the smugglers were intercepted in the locality of In Guezam in Tamenrasset.

Due to insecurity prevailing in the sub-African Sahel region, Algeria would face a ceaseless flow of illegal migrants, warned Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal recently, who also said the North African nation has on its soil some 20,000 illegal immigrants.

In mid January, Algeria said 2,536 Nigerien refugees were sent back to their home countries since last December, at the request of their governments.