ALGIERS, July 23: A total of 47 people were slaughtered this week, some after having their throats slit, in the latest massacre to hit troubled Algeria, a daily newspaper said today.

An armed group overran the Yemma M'ghita village in the region of Blida, 50 km south of Algiers, in the early hours yesterday and slaughtered 39 people, including a family of 15, Le Matin reported.

At the same time, a second group attacked two families in the village of Benachour, slitting the throats of eight people, the paper said.

The newspaper El Watan also reported the massacre but gave a different death toll with 26 dead, including 18 at Yemma M'ghita and eight at Benachour.

More than 60,000 people have died in the past five years in Algerian violence. Several attempts by agencies like the Red Cross have failed to bring about rapprochement between warring groups.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.