There are fears that the violence may intensify with the onset of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan next week. Our Middle East correspondent, Jim Muir reports from Cairo.

Last year, the supposedly holy month of Ramadan brought a sharp upsurge in the carnage in Algeria.

Fears that this year's fast, which begins early next week, might spur a similar escalation have been heightened by the latest accounts of atrocities in villages south-west of the capital, Algiers.

Algerian newspapers are now reporting that the death toll was at least double the number initially put out by officials. One account said that around a 120 people were butchered in two neighbouring villages, though other reports put the figure at about 80.

The reports said many of the victims were elderly people, women and children. Most of them were killed by having their throats cut and some were mutilated with axes.

In a separate attack much closer to Algiers, in the village of Bainem, two families comprising 11 people were slaughtered. Reports said that their dismembered remains were suspended from the rafters of their houses. This was a particularly symbolic gesture since the authorities made a much-publicised campaign in October to clear the wooded hills of the Bainem area of the rebel presence.

Despite the government's drive and its persistent claims that what it calls the terrorists are on their last legs, the bloodletting has shown no signs of ending. At least 80,000 people are estimated to have been killed since the violence began after the army intervened in 1992 to head off an election victory by the Islamic Salvation Front.

The military-backed government of President Liamine Zeroual has now completed the process of reviving democratic structures with the indirect election of an upper house to supplement the parliament which was elected last June.