Algiers - Violence in the run-up to the April 9 general elections continued in Algeria as six people were killed in the east of the country in two separate bomb attacks, local media reported on Tuesday.

Four soldiers were killed and one injured when two bombs exploded on Monday near the city of Tadmait, some 110 kilometres east of the capital Algiers.

The attack was attributed to Islamic terrorists and came less than 10 days after a suicide bombing that targeted local police headquarters in Tadmait.

Two civilians, a 65-year-old farmer and his 16-year-old son, also died Monday when a homemade bomb exploded in Berzeguene, some 630 kilometres east of Algiers.

This was the second attack on farm families in three days in the region of Tebessa. On Saturday, four members of a farming family and another person were killed by suspected members of the terrorist group Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

These latter attacks both took place just a few kilometres from the border with Tunisia. As a result, Tunisian security forces have been placed on maximum alert, the daily Liberte reported.

Some 30 people have been killed in recent attacks linked to the upcoming elections. dpa fi sm (dpa)