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| Algeria siege: 'It was a nightmare. There were deaths. Everyone was crying' | Algeria siege: 'It was a nightmare. There were deaths. Everyone was crying' |
| (3 months later) | |
| As a cold wind blew across the barren south Algeria desert, the Tigantourine gas field remained under siege on Friday, with heavily armed militants still inside occupying the core of the gas facility along with dozens of foreign hostages. | As a cold wind blew across the barren south Algeria desert, the Tigantourine gas field remained under siege on Friday, with heavily armed militants still inside occupying the core of the gas facility along with dozens of foreign hostages. |
| More than three days after Islamists captured the site – launching an unprecedented hostage-taking crisis at the strategic heart of Algeria's oil and gas economy – there was no sign of an end to what diplomats called an ongoing, extremely sensitive, complex and difficult situation. | More than three days after Islamists captured the site – launching an unprecedented hostage-taking crisis at the strategic heart of Algeria's oil and gas economy – there was no sign of an end to what diplomats called an ongoing, extremely sensitive, complex and difficult situation. |
| In the closest village to the complex, In Amenas, people spoke of the ordeals of freed or escaped Algerian workers. They told of fear, shock and the high death toll that came as the Algerian army moved in on the compound on Thursday. | In the closest village to the complex, In Amenas, people spoke of the ordeals of freed or escaped Algerian workers. They told of fear, shock and the high death toll that came as the Algerian army moved in on the compound on Thursday. |
| Above all, they worried about the next step. According to freed hostages, the living quarters of the vast facility, which accounts for 10% of Algeria's natural gas production, has been secured. But the remaining hostage-takers were holed up in the key working area of the gas facility. "It's very difficult for the army to stage an assault because everything could explode. It's dangerous," locals warned. | Above all, they worried about the next step. According to freed hostages, the living quarters of the vast facility, which accounts for 10% of Algeria's natural gas production, has been secured. But the remaining hostage-takers were holed up in the key working area of the gas facility. "It's very difficult for the army to stage an assault because everything could explode. It's dangerous," locals warned. |
| One Algerian hostage, originally from the city of Ouargla, who escaped during the army assault, said: "There were so many deaths. I was shocked. I can't say the exact number. Foreign hostages died, Algerian hostages died and there were deaths among the terrorists." He said one of the militants' leaders was among those killed. | One Algerian hostage, originally from the city of Ouargla, who escaped during the army assault, said: "There were so many deaths. I was shocked. I can't say the exact number. Foreign hostages died, Algerian hostages died and there were deaths among the terrorists." He said one of the militants' leaders was among those killed. |
| The freed Algerian hostages included workers in all sorts of roles, from catering and manual workers to engineers and electricians. The foreign hostages were from Britain, Japan, the US, Norway, France and the Philippines. Algeria's state news agency said more than half of the 132 foreign hostages had been freed and the army had rescued 650 hostages, including 573 Algerians. There was no official announcement on how many had been killed. | The freed Algerian hostages included workers in all sorts of roles, from catering and manual workers to engineers and electricians. The foreign hostages were from Britain, Japan, the US, Norway, France and the Philippines. Algeria's state news agency said more than half of the 132 foreign hostages had been freed and the army had rescued 650 hostages, including 573 Algerians. There was no official announcement on how many had been killed. |
| The big question in the village of In Amenas was what steps would be taken to try to free the remaining hostages from the inner machine rooms of the site, where gas flow was reported to have been switched off. | The big question in the village of In Amenas was what steps would be taken to try to free the remaining hostages from the inner machine rooms of the site, where gas flow was reported to have been switched off. |
| At the nearest roadblock, about two miles away from the complex in the middle of the desert, Algerian emergency services set up large canvas tents as the siege continued. Algerian television showed a row of army tanks lined up. Closer to the site, special forces were reported to have encircled the working part of the gas facilities far out of view. | At the nearest roadblock, about two miles away from the complex in the middle of the desert, Algerian emergency services set up large canvas tents as the siege continued. Algerian television showed a row of army tanks lined up. Closer to the site, special forces were reported to have encircled the working part of the gas facilities far out of view. |
| At midday, helicopters were seen flying overhead. Soon after, two vans appeared on the road, each with about 30 Algerians, who let out a few cheers and cries of joy. With them, escorted by police, was a minibus with drawn curtains. | At midday, helicopters were seen flying overhead. Soon after, two vans appeared on the road, each with about 30 Algerians, who let out a few cheers and cries of joy. With them, escorted by police, was a minibus with drawn curtains. |
| Freed hostages told how they had survived their two-day ordeal. One French hostage told French radio Europe1 he waited for 40 hours hidden under his bed and behind four planks of wood before being freed by the Algerian army. | Freed hostages told how they had survived their two-day ordeal. One French hostage told French radio Europe1 he waited for 40 hours hidden under his bed and behind four planks of wood before being freed by the Algerian army. |
| Algerian hostages said that when the militants had raided the site early on Wednesday they told local workers: "We have nothing against you." They were told they could leave, six in a car. Some were able to leave, others could not. Some who were on the other side of the vast plant were not immediately aware that hostages had been seized and had to remain undetected. | Algerian hostages said that when the militants had raided the site early on Wednesday they told local workers: "We have nothing against you." They were told they could leave, six in a car. Some were able to leave, others could not. Some who were on the other side of the vast plant were not immediately aware that hostages had been seized and had to remain undetected. |
| One Algerian working for a foreign company, who was originally from the coastal city of Oran, told Le Monde newspaper: "It was a nightmare, a horrible situation. There were deaths. The night was very hard, we didn't have anything left to eat, everyone was crying and shouting. All our phone communication was down." | One Algerian working for a foreign company, who was originally from the coastal city of Oran, told Le Monde newspaper: "It was a nightmare, a horrible situation. There were deaths. The night was very hard, we didn't have anything left to eat, everyone was crying and shouting. All our phone communication was down." |
| At 10am on Thursday, when the Algerian army assault began, he said he heard "explosions, shots, bombing and women's screams". Then the hostage-takers told local workers: "Algerian brothers, don't be afraid, go in peace, you're going to go home, we're your brothers, we're all Muslim." | At 10am on Thursday, when the Algerian army assault began, he said he heard "explosions, shots, bombing and women's screams". Then the hostage-takers told local workers: "Algerian brothers, don't be afraid, go in peace, you're going to go home, we're your brothers, we're all Muslim." |
| One American hostage who had been with his Algerian colleagues was wounded after a fall, another was shot by a militant. "I don't know if they'd seen he was American or if they were afraid when he moved," he said. The American did not die immediately, he said, but he understood the man had since died. US officials yesterday named the man as Frederick Buttaccio, a Texas resident, but said it was unclear how he died. | One American hostage who had been with his Algerian colleagues was wounded after a fall, another was shot by a militant. "I don't know if they'd seen he was American or if they were afraid when he moved," he said. The American did not die immediately, he said, but he understood the man had since died. US officials yesterday named the man as Frederick Buttaccio, a Texas resident, but said it was unclear how he died. |
| The Algerian hostage said he had overheard part of conversations between the army and the militants: "They were asking for rights and freedom for their imprisoned brothers." He said the militants wore turbans and spoke standard Arabic, rather than the local dialect, and were heavily armed. "I've seen things like that on television or films but now I've seen it with my own eyes. It was terrifying." | The Algerian hostage said he had overheard part of conversations between the army and the militants: "They were asking for rights and freedom for their imprisoned brothers." He said the militants wore turbans and spoke standard Arabic, rather than the local dialect, and were heavily armed. "I've seen things like that on television or films but now I've seen it with my own eyes. It was terrifying." |
| An Algerian engineer who escaped told France Info radio that when the militants saw the Algerian army had taken up positions around them, "they took the expats, encircled them, tied them up". | An Algerian engineer who escaped told France Info radio that when the militants saw the Algerian army had taken up positions around them, "they took the expats, encircled them, tied them up". |
| It was unclear whether the hostage-takers tried to escape in pickups carrying some hostages and this sparked Algerian army assaults, or whether an army operation prompted them to flee. But reports referred to five pickups carrying militants and hostages, which came under fire from the air. | It was unclear whether the hostage-takers tried to escape in pickups carrying some hostages and this sparked Algerian army assaults, or whether an army operation prompted them to flee. But reports referred to five pickups carrying militants and hostages, which came under fire from the air. |
| Stephen McFaul, 36, an Irish electrician from Andersonstown in west Belfast, managed to flee to safety after the vehicle he was in, with explosives strapped to his body, came under attack from Algerian forces. "He was on his way out of the compound in one of five Jeeps," his brother Brian told news agencies. | Stephen McFaul, 36, an Irish electrician from Andersonstown in west Belfast, managed to flee to safety after the vehicle he was in, with explosives strapped to his body, came under attack from Algerian forces. "He was on his way out of the compound in one of five Jeeps," his brother Brian told news agencies. |
| "The Algerian army bombed the compound. Stephen at the time was wearing Semtex around his neck. They were moving five Jeep-loads of hostages from one part of the compound," he said. "At that stage they were intercepted by the Algerian army. The army bombed four out of five of the trucks and four of them were destroyed. The truck my brother was in crashed and at that stage Stephen was able to make a break for his freedom. He presumed everyone else in the other trucks was killed. It was a terrible ordeal for him. You have to remember some of his friends are still being held captive." | "The Algerian army bombed the compound. Stephen at the time was wearing Semtex around his neck. They were moving five Jeep-loads of hostages from one part of the compound," he said. "At that stage they were intercepted by the Algerian army. The army bombed four out of five of the trucks and four of them were destroyed. The truck my brother was in crashed and at that stage Stephen was able to make a break for his freedom. He presumed everyone else in the other trucks was killed. It was a terrible ordeal for him. You have to remember some of his friends are still being held captive." |
| McFaul was expected to fly back to Belfast on a flight chartered by his company. | McFaul was expected to fly back to Belfast on a flight chartered by his company. |
| A 27-year-old Algerian radio operator who escaped told Reuters he saw the dead body of his French supervisor and one of the militants putting on his badge. "My supervisor was a great man; I learned a lot from him. He had been shot, but I did not see the execution. All I saw was his body when I ran with some colleagues to leave the base." He said that when he heard the militants taking over the camp on Wednesday morning, "I stayed in my office. I was concerned because they would have certainly seized my equipment and my Thuraya [satellite phone]. I stayed silent a couple of hours waiting for the light of day. I saw the terrorists; some were clean, others were dirty, some with beards, others without, and among them a French national with sunglasses. He looked European." | A 27-year-old Algerian radio operator who escaped told Reuters he saw the dead body of his French supervisor and one of the militants putting on his badge. "My supervisor was a great man; I learned a lot from him. He had been shot, but I did not see the execution. All I saw was his body when I ran with some colleagues to leave the base." He said that when he heard the militants taking over the camp on Wednesday morning, "I stayed in my office. I was concerned because they would have certainly seized my equipment and my Thuraya [satellite phone]. I stayed silent a couple of hours waiting for the light of day. I saw the terrorists; some were clean, others were dirty, some with beards, others without, and among them a French national with sunglasses. He looked European." |
| He added: "Colleagues came to me, and we contacted the army people and then we managed to run away. We are very lucky, but the face of my French supervisor is still before my eyes." | He added: "Colleagues came to me, and we contacted the army people and then we managed to run away. We are very lucky, but the face of my French supervisor is still before my eyes." |
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