Algeria senate elections

Against a backdrop of continuing violence in Algeria, voting has been taking place to elect members of the upper house of parliament.

Regional and municipal councillors, many of whom are supporters of President Liamine Zeroual, are electing ninety-six members - or two-thirds - of the new Senate; the rest have already been appointed by President Zeroual himself.

Correspondents say these indirect elections are the final stage of the President's campaign to lend democratic legitimacy to his military-backed rule.

The voting comes as attacks blamed on Islamic militants continued; more than eighty people are now reported to have been killed in such attacks earlier this week.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service