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Subscribe to RSSIn a first account of the hostage situation, the Algerian prime minister said Monday that the Islamic militants who attacked a BP facility in the Algerian desert were prepared to blow it up. At least 37 hostages and 29 militants are dead after Algerian special forces waged a counter-attack. NBC's Janet Shamlian reports.
ALGIERS, Algeria — The U.S. State Department on Monday confirmed that three American citizens were among those killed during the hostage-taking by Islamic militants at a gas field in Algeria.
The death toll from the four-day siege deep in the Sahara has risen to at least 67, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal said Monday on Algerian televsion. The number includes 38 foreign workers and 29 militants who died in the crisis which came to an end in a bloody confrontation with Algerian forces.
Five foreigners remained unaccounted for, Sellal said.
A Japanese government source said the Algerian government had informed Tokyo that nine Japanese had been killed, the highest toll among the non-Algerians working there.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on Monday identified the three Americans who were killed as Victor Lynn Lovelady, Gordon Lee Rowan and Frederick Buttaccio, who had been named earlier.
"We are also aware of seven U.S. citizens who survived the attack," Nuland said. "Due to privacy considerations, we have no further information to provide.
"We will continue to work closely with the Government of Algeria to gain a fuller understanding of the terrorist attack of last week and how we can work together moving forward to combat such threats in the future," Nuland said.
'Blessed operation'
One-eyed veteran Islamist fighter Mokhtar Belmokhtar claimed responsibility for the attack on behalf of al-Qaida.
"We in al-Qaida announce this blessed operation," he said in a video, according to Sahara Media, a regional website. He said about 40 attackers participated in the raid, roughly matching the government's figures for fighters killed and captured.
The fighters swooped out of the desert on Wednesday and seized the In Anema plant and residential barracks nearby.
About 800 people, including some 700 Algerians and 100 foreigners, managed to escape after militants stormed.
Algerian troops launched their first raids on the site on Thursday, but the standoff continued until Saturday, when government forces captured or killed the remaining militants and ended the siege.
According to Salell, the attackers tried to blow up the gas facility on Friday night by planting explosives in a gas pipe and trying to detonate it. The plant produces about 10 percent of the countries gas exports.
The militants demanded an end to French air strikes against Islamist fighters in neighboring Mali that had begun five days earlier. However, U.S. and European officials doubt such a complex raid could have been organized quickly enough to have been conceived as a direct response to the French military intervention.
On Monday, Salell said that a Canadian was one of the coordinators of the attack. Ottawa said it was investigating reports that Canadian nationals were involved.
The siege turned bloody on Thursday when the Algerian army opened fire saying fighters were trying to escape with their prisoners. Survivors said Algerian forces blasted several trucks in a convoy carrying both hostages and their captors.
Nearly 700 Algerian workers and more than 100 foreigners escaped, mainly on Thursday when the fighters were driven from the residential barracks. Some captors remained holed up in the industrial complex until Saturday when they were overrun.
Sellal said negotiating with the kidnappers was essentially impossible.
"Their goal was to kidnap foreigners," he said. "They wanted to flee to Mali with the foreigners, but once they were surrounded they started killing the first hostages."
The bloodshed has strained Algeria's relations with its Western allies, some of whom have complained about being left in the dark while the decision to storm the compound was being taken. Nevertheless, Britain and France both defended the Algerian military action.
"It's easy to say that this or that should have been done. The Algerian authorities took a decision and the toll is very high but I am a bit bothered ... when the impression is given that the Algerians are open to question,'' said French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. "They had to deal with terrorists.''
British Prime Minister David Cameron said in a televised statement: "Of course people will ask questions about the Algerian response to these events, but I would just say that the responsibility for these deaths lies squarely with the terrorists who launched this vicious and cowardly attack.
Surviving hostages from the stand-off in Algeria describe the extreme brutality of their captors as fears persist that more terrorists may still be hiding. NBC's Annabel Roberts reports.
''We should recognize all that the Algerians have done to work with us and to help and coordinate with us. I'd like to thank them for that. We should also recognize that the Algerians too have seen lives lost among their soldiers."
The Islamists' assault has tested Algeria's relations with the outside world and exposed the vulnerability of multinational oil operations in the Sahara.
But physical damage to the gas plant in In Anema was minor, state news service APS reported, citing Oil Minister Youcef Yousfi. The plant would start up again in two days, he said.
Algeria, scarred by the civil war with Islamist insurgents in the 1990s which claimed 200,000 lives, insisted from the start of the crisis there would be no negotiation in the face of terrorism.
France especially needs close cooperation from Algeria to crush Islamist rebels in northern Mali.
Catherine Chomiak, NBC News, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Perhaps the outcome of this operation will deter militants from trying to seize another facility. Doesn't do much for their cause when their task force is obliterated.
It's sad.
Three Americans are brutally murdered abroad and it garners 75 comments while the "Couple glues 60,000 pennies to bedroom floor" post gets over 250 comments.
Condolences to the families and friends of those lost and hoping any injured have a speedy recovery.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
The country is Algeria and they should be the one's to handle situation. The other option is to have a paid strike team from corporations.
Bob-2476682
I agree and I'm tired of the 'Blame Obama for evedrything' crowd. We go in with our troops and we're sticking our nose where it doesn't belong, risking American soldiers lives because of the French in Mali. So we stay out and the Algerian army is incompetant and Obama's foreign policy is to blame, blah, blah, blah
He's to blame even if they wipe their @$$es wrong rock! He could cure cancer and be blamed for causing it. Just shake your head and move on...and be glad you have sanity and reason in your corner.
You want shovel-ready jobs to go to private corporations rather than government agencies?
Americans and others take risks for profit in many jobs, here and abroad. Yet, I won't make or tell puns about hard working people losing their lives. Foreign policy is and has been a joke.
They should ban assault weapons there, it will solve everything, right?
The End Of The United States Is Near, Please do yourself a self preservation deal and GTFO!
Just thought I would make a friendly suggestion for you to get out while you can, that is all. I hear Russia is nice. China has great job opportunities. Any of the middle eastern countries seem to love guns too.
TEOTUSIN...go tell it to the Mayans. Do you kiss your momma with that nasty mouth?
cory, You're on the wrong thread.
Algeria is under no obligation to ask permission to take whatever action they deem appropriate. Jimmy Carter would have turned this into a full year of bargaining. I prefer to see it end quickly. The people taken hostage were going to end up dead anyway. At least the muslims captors are mostly all dead.
A person would have to be a complete idiot to take a job in unstable muslim country. I guess the exception is if you are military or certain types of government employees, but for a civilian US citizen to be there for money I guess you can put a price on your own life.
Algeria is in northern Africa next to Morocco where people probably think it's safe.
Too bad the Secretary of State, Mrs. Clinton, can not be blamed for this.
I thought it was George Bushes fault..
The purpose of the commando attack was to kill the insurgents and if some hostages were killed well, they were collateral damage. This is the Israeli way. Fight to win. And you don't win by paying ransom for hostages. That is what we do.
I somehow doubt that the Algerians give a crap about what americans think.
I remember when my uncle was stationed at an airbase in algers back in the 50's. He said the Algerians that worked on the base made a great sport of running over french bicyclists while driving american trucks.
Hey, anybody that runs over a Frenchman - especially a bicyclist - is okay in my book.
I would take what your uncle said with a grain of salt.
go...go...GO..ALGIERS...YES YES....no pussy-footing around...no letts sit and talk....GGOOOO...!!!!
This is what you get when you send in 3rd rate special forces............ The steaks were a little too high to let the Algerians handel this one solo....
No one gives a sh!t....move on
It was bad that hostages died but if we handled every terrisost like this everytime it would get quite hard for them to recruit soldiers, 1st mission they sent they towel heads on they know they was going to die you got fight to win. at all cost. Just like war war 2 if we hadnt have dropped the bomb and 50000 people died they probably been a whole lot more deaths. And lasted another 2 or 3 years . War is not fair and only the U.S. fights with rules. Personally i think every time this happens it ought to be handle the excat same way. If you go work it one of those screwed up countrys you know your chances. Just like a race car driver doing 200 miles an hour. If something goes wrong u chit out luck. Prasie the algeria miltary 100 percent. Keep up the good work. It really shouldnt have matter what the U.S. thought as if it were here on our soil u think we would give a damn what they thought. Israel and algeria think along the same path wish we had people in the white house with balls like that and didnt care if you knew they where made of steel
adam Is English your first language? Most of your post is nonsense.
Why wasn't there armed protection for these workers in the first place? I suppose Obama and Hilary Clinton were handling their security too.
BP, Halliburton, and other oil companies have to go it alone now. The Bush family no longer has control of the military to use as personal mercenaries.
That's right, the Obamas & the Dems are in charge now & what a fine job they are doing (Bush is looking better every day).
America has been involved in wars on average about every 20-25 years,a war
for about every generation: The Revolutionary War,the Civil War,the War of
1812,the Spanish American War,the First World War,the Second World War,the
Korean War,the Vietnam War,and the War of 9/11,the current War on
Terrorism.
Can we ban algeria?..That place is too dangerous..Mass killings..I'll bet if you look real close, they have an AR behind their name...AlgerianAR,s..We need to ban them...Maybe even an executive order to do so..Write your congressman and tell them you want to ban the AlgerianAr,s..
No, but we should ban semi-automatic weapons and large capacity magazines in the USA.
Would you people please be quiet with all this death and global unrest problem nonsense..... the President is trying to enjoy his million dollar a ticket Obamapropaganda.org fundraiser inauguration parties!!! Leave him alone, you know he hates dealing with "problem" deaths!
@trankwoods seriously???? ignorance in your case is NOT bliss. The Algerians have been dealing with binladen and company way before us, actually they were dealing with the terrorists when we supported them against the soviets in Afghanistan. The Algerian have an impressive army including special forces, which was able to get rid of terrorism internally. So your assessment of the Algerian army is wayyyy off woods. They went in swiftly, took care of the terrorists and got the plant working again, no major desruptions and as a sovereign nation they do not need to consult with anyone. By moving fast, they have avoided more people getting killed and destruction of a whole plant. Unfortunately and sadly, there will be collateral damage...
@jim spence,.......your answer deserves the question. Do we as americans need to star culling whole FAMILIES, Like you and yours. ( electric chair.) Red neck fags like you should be dealt with permanently. And yes if I have to pry that automatic weapon outta you and your KIDS hands.. I WOULD BE WILLING TO DO SO.
thank god al qaeda is not a threat anymore
With americans taken hostage where the hell was Obama and the USA? Another foreign failure by the scumbag in chief
so what does this have to do with the comments from these animals that america has to be taught a lesson about islam when it was in retalliation for the french driving them out of mali maybe we should go on a extermination rampage and end the vermin threat
Who cares; you go into hostile territory, you know the risks. Get over it already.
Thumbs up to that
Ban Algeria!!!
Ban islam!
Ban ignorant Americans
"One-eyed veteran Islamist fighter Marklar Belmarklar claimed marklar for the marklar on behalf of Mar-Klar."
Al-Qaeda and their allies will not be taking hostages in Algeria anymore, they will look elsewhere for easier pickings. Other nations may allow the usual ransom payments and tedious negotiations to take place. But the Algerians have shown they are not playing that game.