Bloody end to Algerian hostage crisis

In spite of British, Japanese, and US officials imploring the Algerian government not to use force to free the roughly 40 employees being held hostage at a gas complex in southern Algeria, the Algerian military launched a raid to rescue the hostages. The gas field is co-operated by British oil giant BP, Norway’s Statoil and state-run Algerian energy firm Sonatrach and employees citizens of multiple nations. None of the foreign governments were notified prior to the start of the raid.

“Before the raid began, we urged the Algerians to be cautious and strongly encouraged them to make the safety of the hostages their top priority,” a U.S. official said.

While it seems everyone is conceding that the raid ended with the death of several of the hostages, the exact body count is still uncertain. An Irish engineer who survived said he saw four jeeps full of hostages blown up by Algerian troops. So far 14 Japanese nationals are unaccounted for, according to their employer. It is also unclear how many of those killed were members of the band of militants responsible for the hostage crisis. It has been confirmed that an American from Texas was among those killed. The French foreign ministry has also confirmed that a French national was killed during the raid. At present, the body count from the assault on the gas complex is 12 Algerian and foreign workers and 18 hostage-takers.