Algeria hostage crisis: more details emerge
1,613 views · Published 21 February 2013 · 0:50 · Indexed 29 September 2026
Channel: News Direct · 2013 · News & Politics
Algerian prime minister Abdelmalek Sellal said on Monday that a total of 37 foreigners died over the four-day siege by Islamist militants at a natural gas plant in In Amena, while seven are still missing. He said 29 of 32 militants have been killed while three were captured alive. Foreign workers from the US, Britain, France, Japan, Romania, Norway and the Philippines were either dead or missing. One-eyed veteran Islamist fighter Mokhtar Belmokhtar claimed responsibility for the attack on behalf of al-Qaeda. An official Algerian source has said the militants included people from outside Africa, as well as Arabs and Africans. Two bodies of Canadians thought to be captors have also been found at the gas plant. Algerian troops ended the siege at a gas plant on Saturday. The crisis began when around 40 militants stormed the BP gas plant in nine cars painted in the colors of Sonatrach. Questions have been raised as to how the militants were able to take over the plant with such ease. An investigation into plant security is ongoing.
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