At least 35 civilians have been shot dead in violence in Haiti over the past four days, said hospital officials Wednesday.

According to reports from the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, the city's General Hospital had received at least 35 bodies riddled with bullets from Aug. 6 to Aug. 10.

Local police conducted harsher raids this week in Port-an-Prince neighborhoods believed to be bastions of supporters of former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was ousted following a violent rebellion in February 2004.

On Wednesday, nine suspected criminals were killed in a police operation in the Port-an-Prince slum of Bel Air, the police said.

Former chamber of deputies president Kelly Bastien was kidnapped Tuesday in the capital, and his family told the press that the Kidnappers are demanding a ransom of US$200,000.

With the approaching of three major elections late this year, violence is surging in Haiti. Explosions, kidnappings, assassinations and robberies have worsened the situation there. The most severe unrest comes from the bastions of supporters of Aristide.

The worsening security has prompted the government of Prime Minister Gerard Latortue to adopt tougher measures to ensure that the local elections, the parliamentary elections and the presidential vote can proceed smoothly as scheduled.

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2005)