ALGIERS - As many as 21 illegal migrants were intercepted Wednesday on the coast of Mostaganem province, 340 km east of the Algerian capital Algiers, the local APS news agency quoted a National Gendarmerie source as saying.

A women and her two sons, 17 and 25-year-old respectively, were among the arrested who had attempted to reach illegally the southern coasts of Europe before being intercepted by the coast guards 20 miles (about 32 km) from the east of Mostaganem waters, according to the source.

They set off aboard a boat equipped with an engine on Tuesday night from Kef Lesfar beach in Hadjadj in eastern Mostaganem, the source said, adding that the arrested were transferred to the National Gendarmerie pending being tried for illegal immigration.

On August 17-18, some 50 illegal migrants were arrested in the coasts of Aannaba and El Tarf provinces.