January 16th, 2013
07:06 PM ET

Americans among hostages at Algerian gas field

[Updated at 7:06 p.m. ET] A claim by hostage-takers in Algeria that they are holding seven Americans is inaccurate, with the real number thought to be as few as three, two U.S. officials said Wednesday.

For more details read our full story here.

[Updated at 3:35 p.m. ET] Islamic militants have released Algerian hostages - but not other hostages - whom the militants had taken at an Algerian gas field near the Libyan border, Algerian State TV has reported.

Foreign hostages - from Norway, Britain, the United States, France and Japan - still reportedly were being held.

Meanwhile, Algerian authorities have received demands from the militants, but the government will not negotiate, the Algerian Interior Minister said in an interview with state television.

[Updated at 2:25 p.m. ET] Americans are among the hostages that Islamists have taken at an Algerian gas field, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Wednesday. She wouldn't say how many people were taken.

North African media outlets report that more than 40 Westerners have been taken hostage by Islamists who are angry over Algiers' support for a French offensive in Mali.

At least one foreigner died and others were kidnapped in the attack on the In Amenas field near the Libyan border in the east, Algeria's Interior Ministry. Algerian media later reported a second person, a British national, was killed as well.

[Updated at 11:54 a.m. ET] At least one foreigner died, six people were injured and an undetermined number of people taken hostage in a terrorist attack on a gas field in eastern Algeria, the interior ministry said Wednesday.

[Initial post at 11:24] A gas field in Algeria was attacked Wednesday morning by "unidentified armed people," who are now occupying the site, BP said.

British nationals are caught up in the incident, the British Foreign Office said. Ireland's foreign minister says there are reports that an Irish citizen also is involved. The office of the French president refused to comment on reports that French citizens also are involved. The In Amenas field is operated by a joint venture of Sonatrach (the Algerian national oil company), BP and Statoil, BP said.

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Filed under: Algeria • World
soundoff (9 Responses)
  1. Cassie Cline

    If evil sets out to kill our people it will take whatever means possible. A hammer was responsible for killing more people last year than guns. Just as a guy in China went into a school and killed a lot of students with a knife. So what now outlaw knives?

    January 16, 2013 at 12:01 pm | Report abuse |
    • Jaafar

      That is incorrect. In the stabbing incident at the chinese school, all 22 children survived and were only injured. Not one of them died.

      January 16, 2013 at 1:41 pm | Report abuse |
    • FrenchdeclinePASTRY

      Algeria- is what happens when it is obvious the French and others NEED it to happen- Once upon a time a group of people legally won an election in Algeria long before Mubarik: that upset the French greatly then and now. FYI

      January 17, 2013 at 3:23 am | Report abuse |
  2. FALESHIAN JEW

    A new demonic BLACK AMERICA has arisen from both the black antebellum and hip hop nation and is based on stereotypical images of low class ,poverty stricken and criminally prone blacks and has replace the black human population who exterminated during the black holocaust and it is this evil who will ended up tormenting the souls of those who do not have the seal of the living GOD in their forehead. Neither BILL CLINTON(the beast revelation 13) nor will those demons who rule AMERICA from those BLACK AMERICAN churches as well as those falllen angels who have arisen from the hip hop nation will be surprise by ANDRE HIMES miraculous survival in the future , since the they knew what the white feminists as well as those whtes who have a long history of embracing white supremacy did not know.

    January 16, 2013 at 1:24 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Truth seeker

    The FBI yearly report is out 311,591,917 – Jul 2011 population of the U.S. Total weapon deaths by all types of weapons in the U.S.A. 12,664 down from 13,164 in 2010; of those deaths 323 were caused by Rifles of all types which includes assault weapons. Deaths by personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc. were 728. It appears by the FBI numbers show the truth that the administration is using a tragic personal event to push an agenda. Politics Right or left the numbers are posted. Shame on them for exploiting these tragic events.

    January 16, 2013 at 1:58 pm | Report abuse |
  4. edelweiss

    Thanks for the inspiration!!! 🙂

    January 16, 2013 at 3:06 pm | Report abuse |
  5. chrissy

    Am in TOTAL agreement with @ Truth Seeker.

    January 17, 2013 at 12:25 am | Report abuse |
  6. chilipepper

    You gotta have a death wish to even set foot let alone work in one of those Muslim countries if you're an American.

    January 17, 2013 at 7:04 am | Report abuse |
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