Commandos pursing militants in Algeria: British PM
19 Jan 2013 6:00 AM IST
Algerian commandos are pursuing Islamic militants who are believed to be still holding a number of foreign hostages at a remote gas facility in Algeria as fears and indignation mounted in Western capitals over the captives' fate.
‘The operation is still on,’ British Prime Minister David Cameron said, 36 hours after Algerian special forces stormed the complex in which Algerian authorities said four foreign workers and 18 militants were killed. Making a statement in parliament on the deadly rescue bid, Cameron said ‘hostages were still being held in the complex’. BBC said the militants had claimed to be holding 41 foreigners and at least four were freed but the fate of many others was still unknown.
British Petroleum which runs the complex in collaboration with the Algerians said it had evacuated hundreds of workers from international oil companies and that many more would follow. Cameron told parliament that the Algerian Army was still pursuing the terrorists and searching for hostages at the site. He said only the first part of the operation was complete. ‘This is a large and complex site and they are still pursuing terrorists and possibly some of the hostages in other areas of the site,’ he said.
34 FILIPINOS FLOWN OUT
Manila: Thirty-four Filipinos working at the Algerian gas field where dozens of foreigners are feared dead in a hostage crisis have been flown out of the country, a Philippine government spokesman said on Friday. Another Filipino worker escaped on his own along with a Japanese national, Foreign Undersecretary Raul Hernandez said.
‘The operation is still on,’ British Prime Minister David Cameron said, 36 hours after Algerian special forces stormed the complex in which Algerian authorities said four foreign workers and 18 militants were killed. Making a statement in parliament on the deadly rescue bid, Cameron said ‘hostages were still being held in the complex’. BBC said the militants had claimed to be holding 41 foreigners and at least four were freed but the fate of many others was still unknown.
British Petroleum which runs the complex in collaboration with the Algerians said it had evacuated hundreds of workers from international oil companies and that many more would follow. Cameron told parliament that the Algerian Army was still pursuing the terrorists and searching for hostages at the site. He said only the first part of the operation was complete. ‘This is a large and complex site and they are still pursuing terrorists and possibly some of the hostages in other areas of the site,’ he said.
34 FILIPINOS FLOWN OUT
Manila: Thirty-four Filipinos working at the Algerian gas field where dozens of foreigners are feared dead in a hostage crisis have been flown out of the country, a Philippine government spokesman said on Friday. Another Filipino worker escaped on his own along with a Japanese national, Foreign Undersecretary Raul Hernandez said.
Next Story
