Over 9,000 Algerian and foreign nationals crossed border centres of Dabdab and Tin El Koum in Illizi province southern-east of Algeria on the border with Libya, since the eruption of armed clashes there, Algeria's daily Echourouk reported on Wednesday.

The newspaper quoted a local source as saying that 8,890 nationals were deported to their country of origin, including 3, 984 Libyans, while 390 other Libyans are still in Algeria after joining their Algerian relatives. They crossed borders to seek food stuffs in Algerian border cities, the source added.

The source specified that the 1,601 refugees are from Mali, 887 from Mauritania, 783 from Algeria, 738 from Egypt, 294 from Vietnam, and 200 from Bangladesh, while the rest are from other nationalities.

Algerian authorities have set up a joint body on border crossing centres of Dabdab and Tin El Koum, composed of national army units, fire fighting units, Algerian Red Cross representatives, and state energy company Sonatrach. The body is in charge of welcoming the refugees, hosting them and then carrying them to their country of origin.