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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Algeria hostage crisis: Britons still 'at risk' | Algeria hostage crisis: Britons still 'at risk' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The number of Britons still "at risk" in the hostage situation in Algeria is "now significantly reduced" from the previous estimate of "less than 30", Prime Minister David Cameron has said. | |
| One Briton was killed when militants targeted a desert gas facility, but the fate of others remains unclear. | One Briton was killed when militants targeted a desert gas facility, but the fate of others remains unclear. |
| Mr Cameron said Algerian forces which had attempted a rescue were still "pursuing terrorists" at the site. | Mr Cameron said Algerian forces which had attempted a rescue were still "pursuing terrorists" at the site. |
| But he could not give any further details during the "ongoing" operation. | But he could not give any further details during the "ongoing" operation. |
| The Foreign Office says a plane carrying a UK emergency deployment team has landed in the south of Algeria, near the In Amenas gas complex. | |
| Mr Cameron, updating MPs on the situation after chairing a meeting of the government's emergency response committee, Cobra, expressed "disgust and condemnation" at the "brutal and savage attack". | Mr Cameron, updating MPs on the situation after chairing a meeting of the government's emergency response committee, Cobra, expressed "disgust and condemnation" at the "brutal and savage attack". |
| He described the attack as "large, well co-ordinated and heavily armed" and appeared to be planned. | He described the attack as "large, well co-ordinated and heavily armed" and appeared to be planned. |
| As the situation was still ongoing, he said he could not give details of the exact numbers of Britons affected. | As the situation was still ongoing, he said he could not give details of the exact numbers of Britons affected. |
| He said that while he has had "very good contact over these last few days" with the Algerian authorities, he said he was "disappointed not to be informed of the assault in advance and we do want to help in any way we can with technical help and assistance". | |
| 'Remote site' | |
| Downing Street has regularly repeated that the Prime Minister wasn't informed a rescue mission was underway in Algeria until it had started. | |
| He told MPs he was "disappointed" not to have been told and that it was a matter of "regret". | |
| Not for the first time, a rapidly changing and dangerous situation juts up against the niceties of international diplomacy, and, in this case, the legacy of colonialism. | |
| Firstly, Algeria is a sovereign country. Who is involved in any rescue mission is a firstly a decision for them. | |
| The prime minister acknowledged this in the Commons. | |
| "I think we should show understanding the Algerian government faces a huge threat from Islamist terrorists and they were facing the situation where there was imminent threat to life and we should bear that in mind." | |
| Add to this, the memories of Western involvement in Algeria are recent. | |
| The country was a French colony until more than a million Algerians were killed in the fight for independence from France in 1962. | |
| Algerian troops had attempted to free the hostages on Thursday by storming the residential compound where most were thought to be. | |
| Mr Cameron added: "I think we should show understanding the Algerian government faces a huge threat from Islamist terrorists and they were facing the situation where there was imminent threat to life and we should bear that in mind." | |
| BP, which owns part of the facility, said there was "a small number" of its employees "whose current location and situation remain uncertain". | BP, which owns part of the facility, said there was "a small number" of its employees "whose current location and situation remain uncertain". |
| Civilian aircraft were on stand-by to help with the company's evacuation plan "if needed", Mr Cameron said. | Civilian aircraft were on stand-by to help with the company's evacuation plan "if needed", Mr Cameron said. |
| The state-run APS news agency cited local officials as saying two Britons and two Filipinos were killed in the military operation, after two other people - a Briton and an Algerian - died on Wednesday when the militants ambushed a bus that was taking workers to the local airport. | The state-run APS news agency cited local officials as saying two Britons and two Filipinos were killed in the military operation, after two other people - a Briton and an Algerian - died on Wednesday when the militants ambushed a bus that was taking workers to the local airport. |
| The PM said the site was "one of the most remote places in the world" which meant it was difficult to get a full picture of what was happening. | The PM said the site was "one of the most remote places in the world" which meant it was difficult to get a full picture of what was happening. |
| Foreign nationals from at least seven other countries are involved, but precise numbers are not clear. | Foreign nationals from at least seven other countries are involved, but precise numbers are not clear. |
| "Last night the number of British citizens at risk was less than 30. Thankfully we now know that number has now been quite significantly reduced," Mr Cameron said. | "Last night the number of British citizens at risk was less than 30. Thankfully we now know that number has now been quite significantly reduced," Mr Cameron said. |
| The BBC's Norman Smith says he understands that the number of Britons involved is closer to 10. | |
| UK assistance | UK assistance |
| Among the Britons freed were: | |
| | |
| US defence secretary Leon Panetta is meeting Mr Cameron on Friday afternoon to discuss the situation. Five Americans caught up in the fighting survived and have now left Algeria. | |
| Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said Scottish police have confirmed that "a number of people identified as resident in Scotland, who had been held captive in the In Amenas facility... have now been confirmed as safe and well". | |
| Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal, speaking about Thursday's action, had told Mr Cameron that the "terrorists had tried to flee, that they [the Algerian forces] judged there to be an immediate threat to the lives of the hostages and had felt obliged to respond." | |
| Mr Cameron said: "When I spoke again to the Algerian prime minister later last night he told me that this first operation was complete but this is a large and complex site and they are still pursuing terrorists and possibly some of the hostages in other areas of the site." | |
| Mr Cameron also said the Algerians were offered British "technical and intelligence support" when the initial attack happened, including hostage negotiation and rescue teams - which was declined. | |
| He added: "We need to be absolutely clear whose fault this is. It is the terrorists who are responsible for this attack and for the loss of life. The actions of these extremists can never be justified." | He added: "We need to be absolutely clear whose fault this is. It is the terrorists who are responsible for this attack and for the loss of life. The actions of these extremists can never be justified." |
| Labour leader Ed Miliband gave his support to the government and said it was a difficult time for the families of those involved. | |
| He told MPs that "alongside Algerians and other foreign nationals, those involved are British citizens seeking to earn and honest living far from home and their families. It is appalling that innocent and decent people have been targeted in this way". |