18 killed in Algeria, Ramadan violence feared

ALGIERS, Algeria (Reuters) -- Eighteen people have been killed in Algeria this week by suspected Muslim rebels, local newspapers said on Wednesday, highlighting fears of an upsurge of violence during the forthcoming holy month of Ramadan.

Eight shepherds had their throats slit on Tuesday in the village of Dhamnia, in Chlef province, around 200 km (120 miles) west of Algiers, the French-language daily newspapers El Watan and Liberte reported.

The assailants abducted one woman before heading towards the rebels Oued Romane mountain stronghold nearby.

The month of Ramadan, due to start next week, is seen by fundamentalists as a sacred time for their Jihad (holy struggle) in the strife-torn North African country.

On Monday night, rebels killed 10 people, including children, in an attack on a remote village near the coastal city of Bou Ismail, in Tipaza province, 70 km (43 miles) west of the capital, the newspapers said.

Tipaza province is a traditional stronghold of the radical Islamic Armed Group (GIA) which has turned down a government amnesty offer.

A doctor at Bou Ismail hospital said the raid was carried out by six gunmen wearing military uniforms who were searching for a policeman living in the village to kill him.

The official media made no mention of the attacks.

Algerian non-governmental newspapers have reported this week that hundreds of villagers fearing a fresh onslaught of attacks during Ramadan asked the authorities to give them arms to organize their self-defense.

Algeria has been rocked by a cycle of violence and revenge in which 100,000 people, mainly civilians, have been killed since 1992 when the army-led government cancelled a general election which Muslim fundamentalists were poised to win.

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika took office last year promising peace and reconciliation and quickly granted a six-month amnesty.

According to government figures, some 6,000 rebels took up the offer but the more radical GIA and Daawa Wal Djihad (Appeal and Struggle) groups vowed to continue their fight to overthrow the government and establish an Islamist state.

Some Algerian political analysts and Western diplomats have questioned the Algerian leader's peace drive, arguing it led to the demobilization of the population and security forces in their fight against rebels.

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