Eleven Islamists including their leader Tahar Ben Cheneb were killed during a raid on the Algerian gas plant. Thirty hostages killed. Some of the gunmen who took hundreds of hostages at the gas facility, are still holed up inside.
The hostage-taking was well planned.
Ahram Online reported:
At least 11 Islamist militants including their leader were killed on Thursday when Algerian forces stormed a desert gas plant to rescue dozens of hostages, an Algerian security source said.
He said two Algerians, including the group’s leader Tahar Ben Cheneb, a prominent commander in the region, were among the dead, along with three Egyptians, two Tunisians, two Libyans, a Malian and a French citizen. It was not clear whether further bodies of militants might be found now the operation is over.
He also said 30 hostages were killed, of whom the nationalities of 15 had been established. Of these, eight were Algerian and seven were foreigners, including two British, two Japanese and a French national.
Dozens of hostages are still being held by the terrorists.
Aljazeera reported:
The military says some of the gunmen who took hundreds of hostages at the gas facility, are still holed up inside.
Nine foreign nationals were released but the fate of a number of those who had been held by the fighters remains unclear.
The hostages included Algerians, as well as foreigners from at least nine countries – including the US, Britain and Japan.
At least 22 hostages are still missing – eight from Norway and 14 from Japan.