GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — Violent attacks have left six more people dead in Guyana, where a crime wave continues to escalate despite government efforts to boost the police force to stem the attacks, police said yesterday.

Over the weekend, unknown assailants fatally stabbed 41-year-old Roy Singh in the neck while he was working as a security guard in southern Georgetown, the capital. He was found Sunday morning.

On Saturday night, police found Shawn St Hill’s body riddled with bullets near the High Court building in downtown Georgetown. The 25-year-old man was unemployed.

No arrests have been made in the last two incidents, and investigators are unsure about the circumstances of two deaths, police spokesman David Ramnarine said.

“That is the count we have so far, six in five days,” he said.

More than 60 people have been killed since February as violence continues to increase in this north-coast South American country of 700,000.

On Friday, gunmen in a speeding car shot and killed Claudius Sam, 37, a self-employed businessman outside his home in north Georgetown. Police said they have no motive or suspects in the killing. The High Court had freed Sam two years ago of a drive-by shooting of a top currency dealer.

On Wednesday night, gunmen killed two legal clerks at a video rental store in the city and wounded five people, including two officers.

Detectives are questioning two men in connection with the video store murders, Ramnarine said.

Later on Wednesday night, a gunman shot into the back of a passenger bus killing an unidentified passenger after an argument over seating arrangements. Police gave no further details in that incident.

The country has seen a drastic increase in violent crime, with 12 law enforcement officers among those killed in attacks. By comparison, only seven police officers were killed on duty in the last 20 years and the number of murders is already double compared to 2001.

There have also been dozens of carjackings and robberies, none of which have been solved by police.

Many Guyanese believe the crimes are being committed by opposition supporters demanding an end to perceived discrimination against blacks. The government has denied the discrimination claims.

Under pressure from business leaders and civil society groups, the government said it released millions of dollars for the police force to buy new vehicles, communication equipment, body armor, armored cars and helicopters to help them battle gunmen and end the crime wave.

Guyana’s population is almost evenly divided between people of African descent, who support the opposition, and those of East Indian descent, who largely back the governing party.