Deadly festivities have erupted in Madagascar between armed bandidos, security forces and villagers.This week, security concerns made newspaper headlines with the southern and south-western as the worst hit regions.
According to Wednesday's edition of the Malagasy daily paper Taratra, the corpse count has gone up to 135.
Malagasy top military officials Wednesday told news hounds that the country's insecurity is linked to the long-running political crisis.
"Increased insecurity across the territory is politically motivated," the minister for the National Defence, Gen Lucien André Rakotoarimasy, said.
State media said villagers in the south were attacked on Tuesday night by around 100 armed bandidos who killed people and made away with dozens of cattle.
The day before, festivities between criminals and the security forces in Belo-Tsiribihina, in the south-west, resulted in the death of three army officers.
Police said criminal gangs, under the control of Arthur Rabefihavanana alias Remenabila, are behind the attacks.
Rabefihavanana was once part of the presidential guard regiment under incumbent President Admiral Didier Ratsiraka.