At least 14 Algerian soldiers have been killed in a deadly ambush by heavily armed militants in the mountains east of the capital Algiers.

Security sources say the soldiers were attacked by armed men while on patrol in Tizi Ouzou on Saturday, 120km east of the capital.

A dozen other soldiers were also injured in the ambush.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but officials lay the blame on al-Qaeda linked militants.

Security experts say the attack was in retaliation for the Algerian army’s killing of dozens of militants in the eastern mountains in recent months.

The region is a bastion of armed groups affiliated with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

Although militant operations have declined considerably in recent years, strategic targets in the eastern Kabylie region, around the capital Algiers, and in the south still come under militant attacks.

The developments come days after Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika claimed to win a fourth term in office with more than 81 percent of the vote.

Since suffering from a stroke last year, there have been concerns about Bouteflika's ability to run the country. Bouteflika has appeared only a few times in public, usually when speaking with visiting dignitaries.

The 77-year-old incumbent president had to vote from a wheelchair due to his poor health. He did not campaign, though allies say he is well enough to govern.