55 killed in Algeria

Gunman slaughtered 55 civilians in three new attacks in Algeria where around 1,000 people have been massacred in 10 days, a national paper said yesterday.

The paper said the latest attacks were carried out by militants of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA).

Liberte daily said 20 people were killed on Friday in Tablat in Medea province, 75 km south of the capital, it gave no further details in a brief "last minute" report.

Liberte and three other dailies also reported that 26 villagers from three large families, including 11 children and four women, had their throats cut and girls were kidnapped in Sorel Ghozlan in Bouira province, 60 miles east of Algiers, overnight on Wednesday - Thursday.

Al Khabar daily said 10 gunman attacked the village but the intervention of security forces prevented a much higher death toll. It said the forces killed six gunmen in a large "combing operation" in the area, Al-Ahram daily reported.