47,000 Algerian wounded or killed in massacres until 1997

Algerian Prime Minister Ahmad Ouyahia on Thursday said before members of the national people's council that official number of victims of massacres committed by armed groups against citizens since the beginning of 1992 through the end of 1997 numbered 26,536 dead and 21,137 wounded.

Ouyahia added that since 1995, the armed groups have carried out 3855 operations against businesses in the country. He stressed Algeria's persistence in fighting all forms of terrorism and investing its energy toward eliminating this phenomena. To this end British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Derek Fatchett stressed that the involvement of Algerian security forces in the massacres committed against civilians an this country has not been proven.

In statements he made on the situation in Algeria, Fatchett said the Algerian government can eliminate doubts on such involvement by agreeing to a visit by a UN representative to Algeria. Fatchett's statements were made following a 24-hour visit to Algeria leading a tripartite European delegation.