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Foreigners held hostage by Islamist militants in Algeria Foreigners held hostage by Islamist militants in Algeria
(35 minutes later)
Two foreign nationals, one of them British, have been killed and more than 20 taken hostage in an attack by Islamist militants on a gas facility in eastern Algeria, state media report. Two foreign nationals, one of them British, have been killed and more taken hostage in an attack by Islamist militants on a gas facility in Algeria.
Several people were wounded when a bus was targeted as it carried workers from the facility, near In Amenas. An al-Qaeda-linked group claims it is holding 41 foreigners, including US, French, British and Japanese citizens at the facility near In Amenas.
After being repelled, the militants travelled to the facility's residential area, where they seized other workers. It says the attack is to avenge Algeria's support of France's operation against al-Qaida-linked rebels in Mali.
Militants linked to al-Qaeda claim to have been behind the incident. The group says hostages will be freed if France ends its operations in Mali.
They initially said they were holding six people hostage. But an alleged spokesman told the Mauritanian news agency ANI they were holding some 40 foreigners, including US, French, British and Japanese citizens. Algeria's state-run APS news agency said Algerian workers at the facility had been released.
He demanded an end to French military operations against Islamist militants in Mali in return for their safety.
Algeria's state-run APS news agency, citing local officials, said "slightly more than 20" foreign nationals were being held. Algerian workers at the facility had been released in small groups, it added.
The In Amenas gas field is operated by the Algerian state oil company, Sonatrach, along with the British oil company BP and Norway's Statoil. It is about 1,300km (800 miles) south-east of the capital, Algiers, and about 60km west of the Libyan border.The In Amenas gas field is operated by the Algerian state oil company, Sonatrach, along with the British oil company BP and Norway's Statoil. It is about 1,300km (800 miles) south-east of the capital, Algiers, and about 60km west of the Libyan border.
'Sensitive situation''Sensitive situation'
The Algerian interior ministry said a heavily-armed "terrorist group" using three vehicles had attacked the bus carrying workers from the In Amenas gas field at about 05:00 (04:00 GMT).The Algerian interior ministry said a heavily-armed "terrorist group" using three vehicles had attacked the bus carrying workers from the In Amenas gas field at about 05:00 (04:00 GMT).
The attack was "repelled by the escort units", but one foreign national was killed and six people - two foreigners, two police and two security personnel - were wounded, a statement said. The attack was initially repelled before the gunmen headed to the complex's living quarters and took a number of hostages.
"After their failed attempt, the terrorist group headed to the complex's living quarters and took a number of workers with foreign nationalities hostage," the ministry added. Two foreigners were reportedly killed in the attack, one of them a British national. A local source earlier told the Reuters news agency a Frenchman had died.
"The forces of the People's National Army and security services arrived at the scene and immediately took all necessary measures to make the area secure and seek a rapid resolution of the situation, which is being very closely followed by the national authorities."
Later, the APS news agency cited local officials as saying two foreigners had been killed in the attack, one of them a British national. A local source earlier told the Reuters news agency a Frenchman had died.
The UK government confirmed that "several British nationals" had been involved in a "terrorist incident".The UK government confirmed that "several British nationals" had been involved in a "terrorist incident".
Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference that 13 Norwegian employees of Statoil were believed held hostage at the gas facility.Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference that 13 Norwegian employees of Statoil were believed held hostage at the gas facility.
"We've asked the Algerian authorities to put the life and health of the hostages above all," Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide added. American, Irish and Japanese hostages were also taken.
US state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland confirmed that Americans were among the hostages, but declined to give further details. BP said gunmen had occupied the In Amenas operations site, but Algerian forces have surrounded the area.
Irish Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore said one of its nationals had been abducted, adding that his government was "ready to use all the resources available to us to ensure that our citizen is released as soon as possible". The French catering company CIS told the BBC that 150 of its Algerian employees were still being held at the site.
A Japanese contractor at the In Amenas gas facility, JGC Corp, confirmed that Japanese staff had been seized, according to Japanese media. However, a spokesman said they were "allowed to move around... unlike the foreign hostages, who are trapped in a corner and cannot move".
BP confirmed that there had been a "security incident".
"The site was attacked and occupied by a group of unidentified armed people," a statement said. "Contact with the site is extremely difficult, but we understand that armed individuals are still occupying the In Amenas operations site."
The French catering company CIS meanwhile told the BBC that 150 of its Algerian employees were still being held at the site. However, a spokesman said they were "allowed to move around... unlike the foreign hostages, who are trapped in a corner and cannot move".
WarningWarning
A man claiming to be a spokesman for the militants told BBC Arabic that al-Qaeda had carried out the attack.A man claiming to be a spokesman for the militants told BBC Arabic that al-Qaeda had carried out the attack.
He claimed that they had allowed Algerian workers to leave the gas facility and were only holding foreign nationals.He claimed that they had allowed Algerian workers to leave the gas facility and were only holding foreign nationals.
A list of demands had been sent to the Algerian authorities, and the hostages would be killed if troops attempted to rescue them, the spokesman added.A list of demands had been sent to the Algerian authorities, and the hostages would be killed if troops attempted to rescue them, the spokesman added.
''Storming the gas complex would be easy for the Algerian military, but the outcome of such an operation would be disastrous," he warned.''Storming the gas complex would be easy for the Algerian military, but the outcome of such an operation would be disastrous," he warned.
Earlier, a group known as the Khaled Abu al-Abbas Brigade told the AFP news agency that it had kidnapped the workers. Earlier, a group known as the Khaled Abu al-Abbas Brigade claimed responsibility.
The Khaled Abu al-Abbas Brigade is believed to be led by Mokhtar Belmokhtar - also known as Abu al-Abbas - who was a senior commander of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) before late last year, when he set up his own armed group after apparently falling out with other leaders.The Khaled Abu al-Abbas Brigade is believed to be led by Mokhtar Belmokhtar - also known as Abu al-Abbas - who was a senior commander of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) before late last year, when he set up his own armed group after apparently falling out with other leaders.
His new group is also known as the Signed-in Blood Battalion, a spokesman for whom told ANI that it had more than 40 hostages, including seven Americans, two French citizens and two British citizens. His new group is also known as the Signed-in Blood Battalion, whose spokesman told ANI that it had taken more than 40 hostages, including seven Americans, two French citizens and two British citizens.
"We are holding the Algerian and French governments, and the hostages' countries, entirely responsible for their slowness in satisfying our demands, foremost of which is an immediate halt to the aggression against our brothers in Mali," the spokesman added. "We are holding the Algerian and French governments, and the hostages' countries, entirely responsible for their slowness in satisfying our demands, foremost of which is an immediate halt to the aggression against our brothers in Mali," added the spokesman.
Militant groups have vowed to avenge France's military intervention in Mali, where its forces have been battling Islamists linked to AQIM for the past week. Algeria has been allowing French aircraft to use its air space to launch attacks. Militant groups have vowed to avenge France's military intervention in Mali, where its forces have been battling Islamists linked to AQIM for the past week.
Algeria has been allowing French aircraft to use its air space to launch attacks.
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