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| Algerian hostage siege: 'It could only have ended with a massive assault' | Algerian hostage siege: 'It could only have ended with a massive assault' |
| (25 days later) | |
| As the Algerian hostage siege continues and the death toll after an army assault remains uncertain, the military's swift intervention with force appeared to be in keeping with its tough approach to insurgent operations in the wake of Algeria's brutal civil war. | As the Algerian hostage siege continues and the death toll after an army assault remains uncertain, the military's swift intervention with force appeared to be in keeping with its tough approach to insurgent operations in the wake of Algeria's brutal civil war. |
| The military-dominated regime in Algiers – which remains in place despite the Arab spring that toppled leaderships elsewhere in north Africa – is the biggest defence powerhouse in the region, with a well-equipped and extensive army. | The military-dominated regime in Algiers – which remains in place despite the Arab spring that toppled leaderships elsewhere in north Africa – is the biggest defence powerhouse in the region, with a well-equipped and extensive army. |
| Algeria had 10 years of bloody internal conflict in the 1990s which resulted in about 200,000 deaths and the Algiers generals maintain their tradition of a no-negotiation, take-no-prisoners approach to insurgent assaults. The unprecedented gas field hostage-taking struck at the heart of Algeria's economic power – its hydrocarbon sites – which meant high stakes for the regime. | Algeria had 10 years of bloody internal conflict in the 1990s which resulted in about 200,000 deaths and the Algiers generals maintain their tradition of a no-negotiation, take-no-prisoners approach to insurgent assaults. The unprecedented gas field hostage-taking struck at the heart of Algeria's economic power – its hydrocarbon sites – which meant high stakes for the regime. |
| Faced with the return of major terrorist operations on its home turf, Algiers seemed likely to want to send a stark message to its own population, that dramatic hostage-taking would be met with a dramatic response. | Faced with the return of major terrorist operations on its home turf, Algiers seemed likely to want to send a stark message to its own population, that dramatic hostage-taking would be met with a dramatic response. |
| The Algerian communications minister, Mohamed Said Belaid, said during the siege: "This is an attack of multinational terrorists against the Algerian people and the Algerian state. The objective is clear: to destabilise Algeria." He saidthat faced with hostage-takers who wanted "to destroy the national economy" and the state, "there would be no negotiations, or blackmail" and Algeria would be "relentless in the fight against terrorists". | The Algerian communications minister, Mohamed Said Belaid, said during the siege: "This is an attack of multinational terrorists against the Algerian people and the Algerian state. The objective is clear: to destabilise Algeria." He saidthat faced with hostage-takers who wanted "to destroy the national economy" and the state, "there would be no negotiations, or blackmail" and Algeria would be "relentless in the fight against terrorists". |
| It remains unclear which Algerian units led Thursday's first military assault on the gas field where foreign and Algerian hostages were being held by Islamist groups and where scores are feared dead following the army's operation. There was no confirmation whether the assault was led by ground troops, special forces or specialised counter-terrorism units who harked back to the days of Algeria's now disbanded so-called Ninja units in the 1990s, which fought Islamists and were trained by the Soviet-era Russian military. | It remains unclear which Algerian units led Thursday's first military assault on the gas field where foreign and Algerian hostages were being held by Islamist groups and where scores are feared dead following the army's operation. There was no confirmation whether the assault was led by ground troops, special forces or specialised counter-terrorism units who harked back to the days of Algeria's now disbanded so-called Ninja units in the 1990s, which fought Islamists and were trained by the Soviet-era Russian military. |
| "I knew it would end in a bloodbath," Charles Pellegrini, former head of the anti-terrorist cell at the Elysée, told Le Parisien newspaper. "Trained in Russia in the Soviet era, the senior ranks of the Algerian army never negotiate with terrorists and always deal with these types of situations Russian-style." | "I knew it would end in a bloodbath," Charles Pellegrini, former head of the anti-terrorist cell at the Elysée, told Le Parisien newspaper. "Trained in Russia in the Soviet era, the senior ranks of the Algerian army never negotiate with terrorists and always deal with these types of situations Russian-style." |
| In 2002, Moscow sparked criticism after 130 civilians died as well as hostage-takers during a special forces operation to end a theatre siege, many asphyxiated by the gas used by the forces. In 2004, there were 331 deaths, including 31 hostage-takers, in the operation to end a school siege in Beslan. | In 2002, Moscow sparked criticism after 130 civilians died as well as hostage-takers during a special forces operation to end a theatre siege, many asphyxiated by the gas used by the forces. In 2004, there were 331 deaths, including 31 hostage-takers, in the operation to end a school siege in Beslan. |
| Pellegrini added that Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the Islamist militant allegedly behind the gas field raid, was the regime's sworn enemy, a symbol of its years fighting Islamist groups. "All that suggested that the hostage-taking could only have ended with a massive assault." | Pellegrini added that Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the Islamist militant allegedly behind the gas field raid, was the regime's sworn enemy, a symbol of its years fighting Islamist groups. "All that suggested that the hostage-taking could only have ended with a massive assault." |
| He said that in 1994, when an Air France flight was hijacked in Algeria on Christmas Eve and hijackers shot three passengers dead while the flight was still on the tarmac in Algiers, it was only after "strong international pressure" that Algeria allowed the flight to be diverted to Marseille. There, the French special forces mounted a rescue operation, killing the hijackers and bringing out the passengers and crew. | He said that in 1994, when an Air France flight was hijacked in Algeria on Christmas Eve and hijackers shot three passengers dead while the flight was still on the tarmac in Algiers, it was only after "strong international pressure" that Algeria allowed the flight to be diverted to Marseille. There, the French special forces mounted a rescue operation, killing the hijackers and bringing out the passengers and crew. |
| Philippe Lobjois, co-author of a book on Algerian counter-espionage, told Europe 1 radio that Algerian special forces were very highly trained. "Some have 20 years' experience … They are hardened and they have a tradition of extermination. They don't negotiate with terrorists … It's a shock intervention group." | Philippe Lobjois, co-author of a book on Algerian counter-espionage, told Europe 1 radio that Algerian special forces were very highly trained. "Some have 20 years' experience … They are hardened and they have a tradition of extermination. They don't negotiate with terrorists … It's a shock intervention group." |
| While Japan expressed reservations about the swift Algerian military operation and Downing Street said it would have preferred to have been informed in advance, the French interior minister, Manual Valls, said he "cautioned prudence against criticism" of the operation by the Algerians who he said had been engaged in fighting terrorism and "who saw tens of thousands of deaths during the dark years" of the 1990s internal conflict. | While Japan expressed reservations about the swift Algerian military operation and Downing Street said it would have preferred to have been informed in advance, the French interior minister, Manual Valls, said he "cautioned prudence against criticism" of the operation by the Algerians who he said had been engaged in fighting terrorism and "who saw tens of thousands of deaths during the dark years" of the 1990s internal conflict. |
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