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Algeria hostage crisis over after further casualties Algeria hostage crisis over after further casualties
(about 3 hours later)
Until yesterday morning, few outside the specialised world of those who track North African jihadist groups affiliated with al-Qaida had heard of Abdul Rahman al-Nigeri: a photograph of him depicts a slim and bearded Arab fighter in his 30s from Niger.Until yesterday morning, few outside the specialised world of those who track North African jihadist groups affiliated with al-Qaida had heard of Abdul Rahman al-Nigeri: a photograph of him depicts a slim and bearded Arab fighter in his 30s from Niger.
Within a few hours of being identified as the leader of the Islamists that seized the In Amenas gas-production plant, Nigeri was presumed to have died, shot down in the final assault launched by Algerian special forces to try to secure the last seven foreign hostages being held in a workshop by him and his group.Within a few hours of being identified as the leader of the Islamists that seized the In Amenas gas-production plant, Nigeri was presumed to have died, shot down in the final assault launched by Algerian special forces to try to secure the last seven foreign hostages being held in a workshop by him and his group.
First accounts of that raid suggest those hostages, reportedly including a Briton, had already been murdered by Nigeri and his last 10 fellow fighters – having given up hope that they would be allowed to leave with their captives. All the jihadis were killed. First accounts of that raid suggest those hostages had already been murdered by Nigeri and his last 10 fellow fighters – having given up hope that they would be allowed to leave with their captives. All the jihadis were killed.
The death of the hostages was confirmed by the French president, François Hollande. The death of the hostages was confirmed by the French president, François Hollande, adding to the already grim toll. The Algerian government said yesterday that 55 people were killed in the four-day siege: 32 militants and 23 captives. A total of 685 Algerian and 107 foreigner workers were freed over the course of the standoff, a statement from the Interior Ministry added.
"It is over now, the assault is over, and the military are inside the plant clearing it of mines," a local source familiar with the operation told Reuters. The militants, who included three Algerians, were made up of men from several countries. Politicians around the world now fear a new wave of Islamist terrorist attacks, employing new methods.
Shortly before, Nigeri had said the Algerian government must choose between negotiating with the kidnappers and leaving the hostages to die, adding that he would blow up the complex if the Algerian military used force. Algerian troops recovered six machine guns, 21 rifles, two shotguns, two 60mm mortars with shells, six 60mm missiles with launchers, two rocket-propelled grenades with eight rockets and 10 grenades in explosive belts during the raid.
The initial Algerian assault last Thursday to try to free the hostages was heavily criticised for the loss of life it led to; thesecond attack was launched after it became clear that the terrorists were preparing to make good on their threat. Shortly before the raid began, Nigeri had said the Algerian government must choose between negotiating with the kidnappers and leaving the hostages to die, adding that he would blow up the complex if the Algerian military used force.
In an apparent confirmation of Nigeri's death, the Algerian newspaper El Watan listed him as one of four terrorist leaders killed during the assault. It named the other "terrorist emirs" as Lamine Moucheneb, Abou al-Bara'a al-Jaza'iri and Abdallahi Ould Hmeida, a Mauritanian. It claimed that 29 terrorists of various nationalities had been killed in total. The initial Algerian assault last Thursday to try to free the hostages was heavily criticised for the loss of life it led to; the second and final attack was launched after it became clear that the terrorists were preparing to make good on their threat.
In an apparent confirmation of Nigeri's death, the Algerian newspaper El Watan listed him as one of four terrorist leaders killed during the assault. It named the other "terrorist emirs" as Lamine Moucheneb, Abou al-Bara'a al-Jaza'iri and Abdallahi Ould Hmeida, a Mauritanian.
The bloody denouement of the crisis, however, has left many questions unanswered, not least over the real motive for the group's attack on the plant. Claims have emerged that it had almost certainly been planned long in advance of the French military assault on Islamist groups in neighbouring Mali just over a week ago.The bloody denouement of the crisis, however, has left many questions unanswered, not least over the real motive for the group's attack on the plant. Claims have emerged that it had almost certainly been planned long in advance of the French military assault on Islamist groups in neighbouring Mali just over a week ago.
As Algerian special forces moved through the gas facility jointly run by BP, Norway's Statoil and Algeria's state-owned oil company Sonatrach, witnesses nearby reported sporadic bursts of gunfire.As Algerian special forces moved through the gas facility jointly run by BP, Norway's Statoil and Algeria's state-owned oil company Sonatrach, witnesses nearby reported sporadic bursts of gunfire.
The final intervention was launched, according to Algerian security sources, when it became clear that the hostage takers were trying to sabotage the plant, perhaps to set the complex on fire. Sixteen other hostages were reported freed during the final operation. The final intervention was launched, according to Algerian security sources, when it became clear that the hostage-takers were trying to sabotage the plant, perhaps to set the complex on fire. Sixteen other hostages were reported freed during the final operation.
As the first confused accounts of the assault on the terrorists' last hiding places began to emerge, Algerian media outlets were reporting that troops had come across 15 badly burned bodies as they began to search the compound.As the first confused accounts of the assault on the terrorists' last hiding places began to emerge, Algerian media outlets were reporting that troops had come across 15 badly burned bodies as they began to search the compound.
The death of the remainder brings the total to 27 workers killed since the attack was launched last Wednesday. Among that number are understood to be at least two Britons, a US citizen, two Japanese, and a French national. One British citizen died when the gunmen seized the plant on Wednesday. Hundreds of hostages escaped on Thursday when the army first launched an offensive, but many were killed in the assault. Algerian forces destroyed four trucks holding hostages, according to the family of a Northern Ireland engineer who escaped from a fifth truck and survived. Stephen McFaul told his family the attackers had strapped Semtex plastic explosive to his neck, bound his hands and taped his mouth.
Hundreds of hostages escaped on Thursday when the army first launched an offensive, but many were killed in the assault. Algerian forces destroyed four trucks holding hostages, according to the family of a Northern Irish engineer who escaped from a fifth truck and survived. Stephen McFaul told his family the attackers had strapped Semtex plastic explosive to his neck, bound his hands and taped his mouth. What little is known about Nigeri and the militants with whom he died suggests that the early identification of Mokhtar Belmokhtar, an Algerian one-eyed fanatic with a $100,000 bounty on his head, as the mastermind behind the audacious bid to seize the plant was correct.
But what little is known about Nigeri and the militants with whom he died, suggests that the early identification of Mokhtar Belmokhtar, an Algerian, as the mastermind behind the audacious bid to seize the plant was correct. For Nigeri has long been a close associate of Belmokhtar, a former leader of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, who broke away late last year to form his own group, the Those Who Sign in Blood Brigade. This was its first major attack. According to reports from the region yesterday, Nigeri's role was as the figure who undertook "hard tasks" for Belmokhtar, in this case leading the two groups of fighters who infiltrated the sprawling desert gas plant. Nigeri has long been a close associate of Belmokhtar, a former leader of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, who broke away late last year to form his own group, the Those Who Sign in Blood Brigade. This was its first major attack. According to reports from the region yesterday, Nigeri's role was as the figure who undertook "hard tasks" for Belmokhtar, an Algerian, in this case leading the two groups of fighters who infiltrated the sprawling desert gas plant.
The Libyan government yesterday denied as "baseless" claims that the attackers had crossed into Algeria from a base in south-west Libya. Other claims have suggested that the group – some 40 strong, equipped with four-wheel drive vehicles and satellite phones and heavily armed – started from Niger, according to a Mauritanian news agency with contacts with jihadists operating in the Sahara region. The Libyan government denied as "baseless" claims that the attackers had crossed into Algeria from south-west Libya.
Although the reason for the attack was initially linked to the continuing French assault in Mali – where Belmokhtar and his group have also been active – a new motive emerged yesterday in claims that the group was seeking the release of two jailed jihadi figures in the US. Other claims have suggested that the group – some 40 strong, equipped with four-wheel drive vehicles and satellite phones, and heavily armed – started from Niger, according to a Mauritanian news agency with contacts with jihadists operating in the Sahara region.
The group was demanding the release of Omar Abdel Rahman – known as "Blind Sheikh", an Egyptian imprisoned in the US – and Aafia Siddiqui, a US-Pakistani neuroscientist who was sentenced to 86 years in jail in the US for attempting to shoot her interrogators after being arrested in Afghanistan. Although the reason for the attack was initially linked to the continuing French assault in Mali – where Belmokhtar and his group have also been active – a new motive emerged in claims that the group was seeking the release of two jailed jihadi figures in the US.
According to the few details known about him, Nigeri joined the Algerian Salafist Group for Call and Combat in 2005 (GSPC, which was later renamed AQIM). It is in this group that Nigeri first encountered Belmokhtar, a prominent smuggler and jihadi widely reported to be the mastermind of the assault on the In Amenas plant. But Belmokhtar appears not to have been present during the raid. Reports also suggested that Abu al-Bara'a al-Jaza'iri, had been killed earlier at the gas field's residential complex when it was retaken by the army. The group was demanding the release of Omar Abdel Rahman – known as the "Blind Sheikh", an Egyptian imprisoned in the US – and Aafia Siddiqui, a US-Pakistani neuroscientist who was sentenced to 86 years in jail in the US for attempting to shoot her interrogators after being arrested in Afghanistan.
According to the few details known about him, Nigeri joined the Algerian Salafist Group for Call and Combat in 2005 (GSPC, which was later renamed AQIM). It is in this group that Nigeri first encountered Belmokhtar, a prominent smuggler and jihadi widely reported to be the mastermind of the assault on the In Amenas plant. But Belmokhtar appears not to have been present during the raid.
Reports also suggested that Abu al-Bara'a al-Jaza'iri had been killed earlier at the gas field's residential complex when it was retaken by the army.
Algerian security sources appeared anxious to insist that the raid on the gas field had probably been months in preparation, rather than in connection with the French military operation in Mali. Several former Algerian security officials, quoted in the French newspaper Le Figaro, suggested that the raid was of such sophistication that it would have been impossible to "improvise in a few days".Algerian security sources appeared anxious to insist that the raid on the gas field had probably been months in preparation, rather than in connection with the French military operation in Mali. Several former Algerian security officials, quoted in the French newspaper Le Figaro, suggested that the raid was of such sophistication that it would have been impossible to "improvise in a few days".
Among evidence to support this theory were claims that the members of Nigeri's group seemed to be very familiar with the layout of the plant and appeared to have had contacts inside who helped them. Some were reported to have dressed in Algerian military uniforms they had acquired in advance. Other sources speculated that the group may have spent a considerable period in the desert en route to the gas plant.Among evidence to support this theory were claims that the members of Nigeri's group seemed to be very familiar with the layout of the plant and appeared to have had contacts inside who helped them. Some were reported to have dressed in Algerian military uniforms they had acquired in advance. Other sources speculated that the group may have spent a considerable period in the desert en route to the gas plant.