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Algeria Hostage Crisis: Military Operation 'Ends'
Algeria Hostage Crisis: Military Operation 'Ends'
bb1 Thu Jan 17, 2013 10:32 pm
http://news.sky.com/story/1039364/algeria-hostage-crisis-military-operation-ends
Algeria Hostage Crisis: Military Operation 'Ends'
David Cameron said Britain should be "prepared for the possibility of further bad news" amid reports the gas plant drama is over.
An assault by Algeria's military to free dozens of foreign hostages held by Islamist gunmen at a gas plant is reportedly over.
Earlier, David Cameron said Britain should be "prepared for the possibility of further bad news" in the crisis.
The Prime Minister has postponed his speech on Europe on Friday in the Netherlands to stay in the UK to deal with the situation.
Algeria's military launched a raid at the In Amenas complex, near the border with Libya. The country's state news agency APS said the army had ended its operation, reported the Associated Press.
One British citizen is confirmed to have died, while several others were caught up in the drama.
Mr Cameron said: "We face a very bad situation at this BP gas compound in Algeria. A number of British citizens have been taken hostage.
"Already we know of one who has died. The Algerian armed forces have now attacked the compound."
He added: "It's a fluid situation, it's ongoing, it's very uncertain. We should be prepared for the possibility of further bad news, very difficult news, in this extremely difficult situation."
Foreign Secretary William Hague is cutting short a visit to Australia to return to the UK to help deal with the crisis.
News agencies said some people had been killed in the wake of the strike by the Algerian military, while a number of hostages had reportedly been freed.
Mauritania's ANI news agency reported the deaths citing one of the kidnappers who had earlier taken 41 people, including Britons, captive at the compound.
And French president Francois Hollande said the hostage crisis was unfolding in "terrible conditions".
The official Algerian APS news agency said a number of foreign hostages were free. Among those who managed to get out was 36-year-old Irishman Stephen McFaul from west Belfast.
His father, Christopher McFaul, told Sky News he was "delighted" by the news but added he felt "sorry for the other hostages that are still there". He also described the last 48 hours as "hell".
Stephen McFaul's son, Dylan, said: "I can't even explain the excitement. I can't wait until he gets home again." He added he would tell him "he's never going back there and I'm not letting him".
APS said as many as 600 Algerian workers at the site managed to flee the plant, and an American military official said at least one US unarmed drone was flying over the complex.
A large explosion has been heard away from the accommodation block at the remote desert plant, Sky sources said.
News agency Reuters spoke to a local resident who said many people were killed in the military operation, which the Algerian government confirmed it was carrying out.
There have been conflicting reports as to the number of casualties, with Reuters citing a local source as saying six foreign hostages and eight rebels were killed. The source said some hostages were still being held.
ANI said the attackers' spokesman had claimed that Algerian forces opened fire as the militants tried to leave the energy complex with hostages.
The Algerian government said it had to act "immediately" to intervene in the crisis, according to Downing Street.
Mr Cameron's spokesman said Britain was not given prior notice of the operation, adding it was ongoing and the situation was "very grave and serious".
Mr Cameron was informed the operation was under way when he telephoned the Algerian prime minister at 11am today, the spokesman added.
And the British PM made clear he would have preferred to be informed in advance of the military action, the spokesman went on.
The facility is run jointly by BP, the Norwegian energy firm Statoil and the Algerian state oil company.
On Wednesday a Briton and an Algerian were killed when around 20 gunmen from an al Qaeda-backed group stormed the facility.
Among the UK nationals taken hostage by the group were Scottish nationals, Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond confirmed earlier.
Al Qaeda-linked militant group Katibat Moulathamine - The Masked Ones - said it was behind the attack.
The group said it was retaliating for French military intervention against al Qaeda-backed rebels in neighbouring Mali, where France now has 1,400 troops on the ground.
BP said it was evacuating a group of workers from Algeria in light of the hostage situation at the In Amenas complex.
Algeria Hostage Crisis: Military Operation 'Ends'
David Cameron said Britain should be "prepared for the possibility of further bad news" amid reports the gas plant drama is over.
An assault by Algeria's military to free dozens of foreign hostages held by Islamist gunmen at a gas plant is reportedly over.
Earlier, David Cameron said Britain should be "prepared for the possibility of further bad news" in the crisis.
The Prime Minister has postponed his speech on Europe on Friday in the Netherlands to stay in the UK to deal with the situation.
Algeria's military launched a raid at the In Amenas complex, near the border with Libya. The country's state news agency APS said the army had ended its operation, reported the Associated Press.
One British citizen is confirmed to have died, while several others were caught up in the drama.
Mr Cameron said: "We face a very bad situation at this BP gas compound in Algeria. A number of British citizens have been taken hostage.
"Already we know of one who has died. The Algerian armed forces have now attacked the compound."
He added: "It's a fluid situation, it's ongoing, it's very uncertain. We should be prepared for the possibility of further bad news, very difficult news, in this extremely difficult situation."
Foreign Secretary William Hague is cutting short a visit to Australia to return to the UK to help deal with the crisis.
News agencies said some people had been killed in the wake of the strike by the Algerian military, while a number of hostages had reportedly been freed.
Mauritania's ANI news agency reported the deaths citing one of the kidnappers who had earlier taken 41 people, including Britons, captive at the compound.
And French president Francois Hollande said the hostage crisis was unfolding in "terrible conditions".
The official Algerian APS news agency said a number of foreign hostages were free. Among those who managed to get out was 36-year-old Irishman Stephen McFaul from west Belfast.
His father, Christopher McFaul, told Sky News he was "delighted" by the news but added he felt "sorry for the other hostages that are still there". He also described the last 48 hours as "hell".
Stephen McFaul's son, Dylan, said: "I can't even explain the excitement. I can't wait until he gets home again." He added he would tell him "he's never going back there and I'm not letting him".
APS said as many as 600 Algerian workers at the site managed to flee the plant, and an American military official said at least one US unarmed drone was flying over the complex.
A large explosion has been heard away from the accommodation block at the remote desert plant, Sky sources said.
News agency Reuters spoke to a local resident who said many people were killed in the military operation, which the Algerian government confirmed it was carrying out.
There have been conflicting reports as to the number of casualties, with Reuters citing a local source as saying six foreign hostages and eight rebels were killed. The source said some hostages were still being held.
ANI said the attackers' spokesman had claimed that Algerian forces opened fire as the militants tried to leave the energy complex with hostages.
The Algerian government said it had to act "immediately" to intervene in the crisis, according to Downing Street.
Mr Cameron's spokesman said Britain was not given prior notice of the operation, adding it was ongoing and the situation was "very grave and serious".
Mr Cameron was informed the operation was under way when he telephoned the Algerian prime minister at 11am today, the spokesman added.
And the British PM made clear he would have preferred to be informed in advance of the military action, the spokesman went on.
The facility is run jointly by BP, the Norwegian energy firm Statoil and the Algerian state oil company.
On Wednesday a Briton and an Algerian were killed when around 20 gunmen from an al Qaeda-backed group stormed the facility.
Among the UK nationals taken hostage by the group were Scottish nationals, Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond confirmed earlier.
Al Qaeda-linked militant group Katibat Moulathamine - The Masked Ones - said it was behind the attack.
The group said it was retaliating for French military intervention against al Qaeda-backed rebels in neighbouring Mali, where France now has 1,400 troops on the ground.
BP said it was evacuating a group of workers from Algeria in light of the hostage situation at the In Amenas complex.
Last edited by bb1 on Thu Jan 17, 2013 11:03 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Re: Algeria Hostage Crisis: Military Operation 'Ends'
bb1 Fri Jan 18, 2013 10:32 pm
It's still very confused.
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Re: Algeria Hostage Crisis: Military Operation 'Ends'
bb1 Sat Jan 19, 2013 7:28 pm
http://news.sky.com/story/1040172/algeria-at-least-five-britons-feared-dead
Algeria: At Least Five Britons Feared Dead
At least five Britons are feared dead after the the hostage crisis in Algeria, Foreign Secretary William Hague has said.
Algeria: At Least Five Britons Feared Dead
At least five Britons are feared dead after the the hostage crisis in Algeria, Foreign Secretary William Hague has said.
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