This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/16/mali-militants-kidnap-bp-algeria

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Mali militants 'kidnap eight' at BP oil facility in Algeria Foreign worker killed and seven missing in raid on BP in Algeria
(about 1 hour later)
Islamist militants have attacked a BP facility in the south of Algeria, kidnapping at least eight foreigners, including British, Norwegian and Japanese nationals, according to an Algerian security official. Islamist militants attacked a gas production field in southern Algeria on Wednesday, kidnapping at least seven foreigners and killing a French national, local and company officials said.
The official, based in the south, said on Wednesday that the attack came at 2am and the militants came from Mali. The Algerian army had since caught up with the militants and surrounded them and their hostages, the official said. An al-Qaida-linked group operating in the Sahara said it had carried out the raid on the In Amenas facility, Mauritania's ANI news agency reported.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press, said the army was negotiating with the militants. The field, near the border with Libya, is operated by a joint venture including BP, Norwegian oil firm Statoil and the Algerian state company Sonatrach.
In a statement on Wednesday, BP confirmed there had been a "security incident this morning" at its Ain Amenas gas field in east central Algeria, around 60 miles from the Libyan border. Five Japanese nationals working for the Japanese engineering firm JCG Corp and a French national were kidnapped, local officials said. The Irish government said an Irishman had also been seized.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "A terrorist incident is ongoing near the town of Ain Amenas at an oil installation near the Algerian border with Libya. A French national was killed in the attack, a local source said, but it was unclear if the victim was the same person who had been kidnapped.
"The British embassy in Algiers is aware of the incident and liaising with the local authorities as appropriate. The foreigners were taken in the morning. Algerian troops had mounted an operation to rescue the hostages and had also surrounded the workers' camp at Tiguentourine, a local source said.
"We are aware there are British nationals working in the area. we cannot confirm at this stage whether any are involved in the incident. We are urgently seeking clarification from oil companies working in the area." Algeria has allowed France to use its air space during its military intervention against Islamist rebels in Mali with al-Qaida links, but officials have yet to make a link between the kidnapping on Wednesday and the conflict in neighbouring Mali.
ANI, which has regular direct contact with Islamists, said that fighters under the command of Mokhtar Belmokhtar were holding the foreigners seized from the gas field.
Belmokhtar commanded al-Qaida fighters in the Sahara for years before setting up his own armed Islamist group late last year after an apparent fallout with other militant leaders.
BP confirmed there had been a "security incident" at the In Amenas field, but could give no more details.
Statoil, a minority shareholder in the venture, said it had been notified of the incident on Wednesday morning but could not say if any of its fewer than 20 employees were affected.
Statoil described the incident as an emergency situation.
BP said the field was approximately 1,300 km (825 miles) from the capital, Algiers.
The five Japanese work for the engineering firm JGC Corporation, Jiji news agency reported, quoting company officials. JGC has a deal with Sonatrach-BP-Statoil Association for work in gas production at In Amenas.
In Tokyo, the Japanese foreign ministry said it was gathering information on the situation but could not comment. French foreign ministry officials also said they had no immediate comment and were trying to verify the reports.