ALGIERS, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Algerian army has wrapped up its operation to free hostages from a gasfield but a lack of information has raised concern at home and abroad about the fate of those held.
According to Algeria's official news agency APS, the troops freed 600 Algerian workers and four westerners, including two Scots, a Kenyan and a Frenchman.
At least 41 foreigners were said to have been captured by an armed group of militants. Authorities in the United States, Algeria, Norway, Japan and Ireland confirmed their nationals were among those held captive at the facility in the southernmost province of Illizi.
Algerian Minister of Communication Mohamed Said Oubelaid said late Thursday there were deaths and injuries among the hostages during the rescue operation. However, he did not given any numbers.
The White House on Thursday expressed concern.
"We're certainly concerned about reports of loss of life and are seeking clarity from the government of Algeria," White House spokesman Jay Carney said at a regular news briefing in Washington, adding he had no more details about the situation.
U.S. President Barrack Obama also discussed the situation with British Prime Minister David Cameron in a phone conversation, the White House said in a statement.
Cameron canceled a key speech on European policy to monitor the Algerian hostage crisis. "It is a very dangerous, very uncertain, a very fluid situation, and I think we have to prepare for the possibility of bad news ahead," the British PM said.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cut short his trip in Southeast Asia due to the hostage crisis in Algeria.
Japan's Foreign Ministry also summoned Algerian ambassador Sid Ali Ketrandji in a bid for information on the rescue operation.
"The action of Algerian forces was regrettable," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said earlier Friday, adding Japan had not been informed of the operation in advance.
Japanese engineering firm JGC Corp said three of its employees, who were working at the gasfield, had been confirmed safe but 14 others remained unaccounted for.
A Philippine government spokesman said Friday 34 Filipinos working at the site had been flown out of the country, and another Filipino worker escaped on his own along with a Japanese national.
The gasfield involved is jointly operated by Norwegian state energy company Statoil, Britain's BP and Algeria's national oil company.
The Al-Qaeda-linked armed group, which calls itself the "Battalion of Blood", launched the attack on the compound late Wednesday, claiming it was retaliation for Algeria's support for a French offensive against Islamist fighters in neighboring Mali.
PARIS, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Two French captives have managed to leave the gas facility in Algeria where they had been abducted along with dozens of other foreign workers by an al-Qaeda linked group, Franch Interior Minister Manuel Valls said Friday. Full story
BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Algeria’s state news agency APS says the military operation to free hostages at a remote desert gas facility had ended. The country’s Communication Minister Mohamed Said said that the army had succeeded in neutralizing the gunmen. Full story
UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations said here Thursday that the world body was aware of the reports that Islamist militants took dozens of foreign nationals hostages Wednesday night at a gas plant in southern Algeria, and it " utterly condemns any hostage taking."
UN spokesman Martin Nesirky made the statement as he was asked about the hostage situation in Algeria. Full story
ALGIERS, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Algerian army troops on Thursday managed to take control over the gas-field compound of Tingatourine in the southernmost province of Illizi, after launching a raid to rescue the hostages held there by an armed group linked to al-Qaida, the local TSA news agency reported.
Knaoui Sidi, a religious leader in the region of Tingatourine, was quoted by a report on TSA's website as saying that the army forces decided to raid the compound after the kidnappers attempted to escape with the hostages.Full story
