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| Algeria hostage-takers 'surrounded at In Amenas plant' | Algeria hostage-takers 'surrounded at In Amenas plant' |
| (3 days later) | |
| Militants holding a group of foreign workers hostage at a gas plant in Algeria are reported to be holed up in a workshop at the remote site, surrounded by Algerian special forces. | Militants holding a group of foreign workers hostage at a gas plant in Algeria are reported to be holed up in a workshop at the remote site, surrounded by Algerian special forces. |
| The state-run APS news agency says 12 Algerian and foreign workers have died since rescue efforts began on Thursday. | The state-run APS news agency says 12 Algerian and foreign workers have died since rescue efforts began on Thursday. |
| The militants are armed with rocket launchers and machine guns, APS says. | The militants are armed with rocket launchers and machine guns, APS says. |
| They have told a Mauritanian news agency they are holding seven hostages. | They have told a Mauritanian news agency they are holding seven hostages. |
| Algeria says the militants are taking orders from Mokhtar Belmokhtar, until last year a senior commander in al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). | Algeria says the militants are taking orders from Mokhtar Belmokhtar, until last year a senior commander in al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). |
| A statement from the kidnappers said the assault on the gas plant was launched in retaliation for French intervention against Islamist groups, including AQIM, in neighbouring Mali. | A statement from the kidnappers said the assault on the gas plant was launched in retaliation for French intervention against Islamist groups, including AQIM, in neighbouring Mali. |
| About 30 foreigners remain unaccounted for, including about 10 from the UK. | About 30 foreigners remain unaccounted for, including about 10 from the UK. |
| The In Amenas gas field is situated at Tigantourine, about 40km (25 miles) south-west of the town of In Amenas and 1,300km (800 miles) south-east of Algiers. | The In Amenas gas field is situated at Tigantourine, about 40km (25 miles) south-west of the town of In Amenas and 1,300km (800 miles) south-east of Algiers. |
| The plant is jointly run by BP, Norway's Statoil and Algeria's state-owned oil company. | The plant is jointly run by BP, Norway's Statoil and Algeria's state-owned oil company. |
| On Saturday morning, Statoil confirmed that two more of its employees "were brought to safety", while the situation of six others remained unclear. | On Saturday morning, Statoil confirmed that two more of its employees "were brought to safety", while the situation of six others remained unclear. |
| There are no longer any French hostages in Algeria, the French defence minister said on Saturday. | There are no longer any French hostages in Algeria, the French defence minister said on Saturday. |
| Earlier, 573 Algerians and about 100 of 132 foreigners working at the plant were freed, Algeria said. | Earlier, 573 Algerians and about 100 of 132 foreigners working at the plant were freed, Algeria said. |
| An Algerian who was released by the kidnappers told the Associated Press what he witnessed. | An Algerian who was released by the kidnappers told the Associated Press what he witnessed. |
| "I told them [the hostage-takers] that I was an Algerian Muslim and they said, 'Okay, okay, don't be scared. We haven't come for you." | "I told them [the hostage-takers] that I was an Algerian Muslim and they said, 'Okay, okay, don't be scared. We haven't come for you." |
| US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, who has been on a tour of Europe, told the BBC there could be no hiding place for al-Qaeda. | US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, who has been on a tour of Europe, told the BBC there could be no hiding place for al-Qaeda. |
| "Al-Qaeda needs to know that they have no refuge - in Algeria, in Mali, anywhere - we are not going to allow them to have a hiding place from which to conduct these terrorist acts. | "Al-Qaeda needs to know that they have no refuge - in Algeria, in Mali, anywhere - we are not going to allow them to have a hiding place from which to conduct these terrorist acts. |
| The UN Security Council condemned the "heinous" hostage-taking, saying the incident underlined the need to bring its perpetrators, organisers and financiers to justice. | The UN Security Council condemned the "heinous" hostage-taking, saying the incident underlined the need to bring its perpetrators, organisers and financiers to justice. |
| US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described the situation as "extremely difficult and dangerous". | US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described the situation as "extremely difficult and dangerous". |
| UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, who will chair a meeting of the government's Cobra emergency committee on Saturday, tweeted that the hostages would "remain top priority until every British national [is] accounted for". | UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, who will chair a meeting of the government's Cobra emergency committee on Saturday, tweeted that the hostages would "remain top priority until every British national [is] accounted for". |
| The crisis at the remote In Amenas desert gas facility began on Wednesday when militants attacked two buses carrying foreign workers. A Briton and an Algerian reportedly died in the incident. | The crisis at the remote In Amenas desert gas facility began on Wednesday when militants attacked two buses carrying foreign workers. A Briton and an Algerian reportedly died in the incident. |
| The militants then took Algerians and expatriates hostage at the complex. The leader of the hostage-takers is said to be a veteran fighter from Niger, named as Abdul Rahman al-Nigeri by the Mauritanian news agency ANI, which has been in contact with the militants. | The militants then took Algerians and expatriates hostage at the complex. The leader of the hostage-takers is said to be a veteran fighter from Niger, named as Abdul Rahman al-Nigeri by the Mauritanian news agency ANI, which has been in contact with the militants. |
| The Algerian armed forces attacked on Thursday as militants tried to move some of their captives from the facility. | The Algerian armed forces attacked on Thursday as militants tried to move some of their captives from the facility. |
| The installation was put out of action to avoid the risk of an explosion, the state news agency reported. | The installation was put out of action to avoid the risk of an explosion, the state news agency reported. |
| Information from the siege is hard to come by. No foreign reporters are thought to have been given access to the In Amenas plant. | Information from the siege is hard to come by. No foreign reporters are thought to have been given access to the In Amenas plant. |
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