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Algeria crisis: Hostage-takers 'taken alive' at gas plant | Algeria crisis: Hostage-takers 'taken alive' at gas plant |
(35 minutes later) | |
Five suspected members of the Islamist group which held foreign and local workers hostage at an Algerian gas plant have been arrested, reports say. | Five suspected members of the Islamist group which held foreign and local workers hostage at an Algerian gas plant have been arrested, reports say. |
The reports came a day after the Algerian authorities said all 32 hostage-takers had been killed at the In Amenas gas installation. | The reports came a day after the Algerian authorities said all 32 hostage-takers had been killed at the In Amenas gas installation. |
At least 23 staff at the facility died during the four-day siege, with some Western workers still unaccounted for. | At least 23 staff at the facility died during the four-day siege, with some Western workers still unaccounted for. |
The siege was ended in a raid by troops on Saturday. | The siege was ended in a raid by troops on Saturday. |
Officials said the army launched its assault after Islamist militants began killing foreign hostages. | |
British, US, Norwegian, and Japanese nationals are among those still missing. | |
Algerian Communications Minister Mohammed Said said earlier that the militants were from six different countries, "nationals of Arab and African countries, and of non-African countries". | |
Mr Said added that a final death toll would be released in the coming hours. | |
Mauritanian website Sahara Media says Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the suspected organiser of the siege, has claimed responsibility for it in a video message. | |
The website said the video - recorded on 17 January while the siege was still going on but not posted on the website - showed the militant leader saying he was prepared to negotiate with Western and Algerian leaders if operations against Islamists in Mali were stopped. |