Algerians leaving their country should not be turned back even if their status as refugees is doubtful, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata, said on Wednesday.

"There are Algerians who leave their country and I am appealing to European countries that even those who are not recognised as refugees be considered in a humane way," Ogata told reporters during a visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels.

"I would be very hesitant to return anybody to Algeria today," she added.

Over 65,000 people have been killed in Algeria since the army annulled 1992 elections to prevent Islamic fundamentalists from gaining power. In the past two weeks over 1,000 people have been slaughtered in raids on villages.

The government blames Islamic extremists but banned Islamic groups say the authorities are covertly fuelling the violence.

The European Union, due to send a diplomatic mission to Algeria shortly to discuss what it can do to help Algeria stop the massacres, has, repeatedly offered humanitarian aid to Algiers, which firmly refuses it.

"We do not have any independent assessment of the needs, but we are following the situation with great concern," Ogata said.

Asked what she expected of the EU mission, the UNHCR chief said: "I - would hope very much that the cause of these violations of human rights be identified and dealt with and same genuine help given to the authorities to cape with this situation."