Thursday, January 17, 2013

Hostages killed in strike on Algeria gas field

Media reports suggest dozens of people are dead after Algerian troops launched an assault on a gas facility where Islamist gunmen are holding hostages. Up to 41 foreigners - including Americans, British, French, Japanese and Norwegian nationals - and scores of Algerians were taken hostage on Wednesday. The militant group, which calls itself the "Battalion of Blood", said the raid is a reprisal for France's involvement in the Mali conflict. Algerian troops surrounded the desert site after the attack and refused to negotiate with the al Qaeda-linked militants. One of the militants has told Mauritania's ANI news agency that Algeria launched an air strike on the facility on Thursday night (Australian time). He said the strikes killed at least 34 hostages and 14 of the kidnappers as the Islamists tried to "ferry some hostages in vehicles to a safer place". He added that the gunmen will kill the remaining captives if the army approaches. Another source put the death toll lower, telling Reuters six hostages and eight of their captors were killed.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-17/hostages-killed-in-strike-on-algeria-gas-field-reports/4470218

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