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ALGIERS, Algeria (Reuters) -- The Algerian government, under foreign pressure after massacres of up to 1,000 civilians in 10 days, urged its people Thursday to mobilize against "terrorism" and reiterated its refusal to allow an international inquiry into the mass slaughter.
"The bloody and blind terrorist is targeting the Algerian people without any distinction in their ranks, particularly since the start of the holy month of Ramadan," the government said, vowing to hunt down the killers.
The statement came just hours after security forces announced another 62 deaths in attacks in the western province of Relizane and that a huge manhunt was under way.
But the Cabinet denounced what it called the "dramatic retraction" by the international community in its commitment to combat "terrorism."
Several Western capitals, expressing horror at the massacres, have urged Algiers to do more to protect civilians and called for an international inquiry to look into the killings.
"Algeria, the sovereign state, renews it categorical rejection of any attempt to interfere in its internal affairs," said the statement after Wednesday's Cabinet meeting.
"The government considers any attempt (to establish an inquiry) ... as aimed at planting doubt regarding the source of terrorism ... and a stand that Algeria condemns and absolutely rejects."
The government blames Muslim rebels for the massacres.
"The government renews its call to Algerian men and women to be vigilant and mobilize around the national struggle against barbaric terrorism," it said.
The United States also stuck to its call for an inquiry but, after its ambassador in Algeria was lectured about interference, tried to make its idea more palatable to the Algerians by saying the aim would be to seek facts, not blame the government.
And the German and British foreign ministers agreed Wednesday that a European Union (EU) delegation should visit Algeria to help the government end the massacres.
"We cannot and must not simply watch passively as the murder in Algeria takes place," said Germany's Klaus Kinkel.
Britain's Robin Cook said the EU wanted to discuss with Algiers steps to end the massacres and that Britain, as current EU president, would put the matter to the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on January 26.
Algeria has consistently rejected foreign involvement in dealing with its six-year-old insurgency, in which about 65,000 people have died and which started after the authorities cancelled a general election dominated by Islamic fundamentalists.
The mountainous province has been the scene of repeated killings since Ramadan -- the Muslim holy month which the rebels say is propitious for their struggle -- started on December 30.
Algerian newspapers Thursday were almost unanimous in blaming the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) for the slaughter.
"The ANP (Algerian army) is deployed in the biggest search operation the (Relizane) region has ever known," said La Tribune.
Al-Chaab newspaper, reporting the 62 deaths, said: "This ugly action came after another massacre by the murderers at the start of this week ... in Remka in Relizane where the terrorists killed at least 300 citizens."
Quoting a survivor who helped bury the dead, it said: "One pregnant woman had her fetus cut out and slaughtered."
Earlier this week, La Tribune newspaper said 117 died in the Remka slaughter.
El Watan Thursday quoted a woman from a community near Had Chekala village as saying: "We were just preparing to break our fast when the smell of burning flesh fouled the atmosphere. We understood that families in the neighboring hamlet were being massacred."
An earlier press report said several hundred people were burned alive in Had Chekala last weekend.
Algerian newspapers have reported, with tolls varying for different villages, a total of about 1,000 deaths this Ramadan, including men, women and children having their throats cut or being burned to death.
Related stories:
Survivors recount Algeria's worst massacre - January 3, 1998 Report: More than 400 massacred in Algeria - January 2, 1998 Algerian election comes off without violence - October 23, 1997 Algeria debates reform amid fundamentalist violence - August 10, 1997
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