英闻天下——153 Algeria Hostages Reportedly Killed（在线收听） |
The Algerian army has reportedly managed to take control of a gas-field compound in the country's southern desert, after launching a raid to rescue the hostages held there by an armed group linked to al-Qaidajf. There are conflicting reports as to the outcome of the raid.
Algeria Interior Minister Daho Ould Kablia claims that the militants who assaulted a gas- field in southern Illizi province were from Libya, and that 15 of them were killed in the assault.
Earlier, the Algerian news agency reported that four hostages have been freed, including two Britons, one Frenchman and a Kenyan national, while an unspecified number of people were killed in the rescue raid.
They also claim that nearly 600 Algerian workers held at the gas plant were released.
However, there are conflicting reports of heavy loss of life in the raid, with AP claiming that 35 hostages and 15 kidnappers have been killed.
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said they were working on getting verification about what happened during the operation.
"Information is coming in, we need to verify quite a lot of that information. And of course we are in touch with our member states who are most concerned about this, they have individuals there, and of course with Algeria itself. "
French President Francois Hollande said situation in Algeria further justifies intervention in Mali.
"What is happening in Algeria justifies even more the decision I took in the name of France to come and help Mali, in compliance with the charter of the United Nations and at the request of the president of the country."
The hostage-taking came after Islamists had vowed to retaliate for France's military intervention in Mali. |
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